Is Red Wine Good for You?

Wine happens to be one of the oldest drinks known to man. There are scores of instances in the Bible where reference is made to wine. Wine has been a staple of most Mediterranean diets and is also the pride of countries like Italy, France, New Zealand, etc. There are different types of wine available such as white wine and red wine. Red wine is made from red grapes, which are powerful nutritional boosters and are rich in antioxidants. Some reports say red wine is good for one's health, while some other say it can cause cancer.

Is Red Wine Good for Your Health?

Before we head into the information provided about the benefits of red wine, it's important to note that the health benefits mentioned below in this article is not a green signal to drink two to three glasses of red wine a day! It is important to note that to benefit from the health benefits mentioned above we do not have to drink wine beyond the legal limit. Moreover, at those high levels the alcohol content in the body will exceed and will prove counterproductive.

For the Heart...
Research reveals that having red wine benefits the heart by lowering the chances of heart disease risks and prevention of occurrence of strokes. Grape skin and seeds contain chemical compounds called polyphenols (such as resveratrol), which are natural antioxidants and destroy harmful free radicals formed as a result of metabolism, which would otherwise destroy membranes of body cells. Moreover, the procyanidins in the wine help lower blood pressure levels, cholesterol levels and also reduces risks of atherosclerosis. Nuoro province in Sardinia (which produces the Cannonau grape), and Madiran in the Pyrenees are two wine growing regions which tout their wines contain high concentrations of procyanidins.

For the Brain...
Epidemiological studies have revealed that red wine when consumed in moderation lowers the risk of Alzheimer's disease or Dementia incidence. Moreover, the antioxidants present in grapes help destroy harmful free radicals and in turn slow down the aging process. Red wine is great for people working in creative professions. In a test (testing memory, intelligence, verbal and mathematical skills) conducted, people who drank red wine in moderation scored higher than people who refrained from red wine. The best red wine according to researchers enhances creativity and imagination in people.

For the Liver...
We know that too much alcohol is detrimental for the liver. However, UC San Diego School of Medicine researchers released a study that said modest wine consumption, such as one glass of wine a day may not only be safe for the liver, but also reduces the risk of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD).

For the Skin...
Red grapes are rich in flavonoids, which is great for skin health. Thus, red wine made from red grapes also has positive effects on the skin. Moreover, resveratrol in the grapes reduce the pace of aging in the body. It overcomes wrinkles and leaves the skin looking fresh, supple and young. According to a research conducted by Konrad Howitz and a group of scientists from Harvard Medical School and Biomol, United States, it was revealed that 'resveratrol can maintain the fitness of cells in the body 70 percent longer.' Since a decade ago, red wine has been used in beauty treatments such as red wine treatments called vinotherapy in spas of Europe.

Drinking one glass of wine a day may benefit you, however, it is important to note that moderation is the key. Drinking even two glasses or overindulgence will not only nullify the positive effects, but will also conduce to some negative health effects. Remember, as with most things in life, moderation seems to be paramount!