Health Benefits of Red Wine

The health benefits of red wine is a hotly debated topic.

Does drinking wine have health benefits? Learn more here.

While some believe that consumption of alcohol is detrimental, others believe that a component of red wine, resveratrol, has health benefits. The question is then whether the benefits outweight the negative aspects of drinking alcohol.

One caveat that most people live by is "everything in moderation." This is especially true when it comes to the consumption of alcoholic beverages. In many cultures, drinking wine with meals or with appetizers at social functions is normal and healthy. However, when a person drinks more than one drink per hour, their body can no longer process the alcohol effectively, which in turn leads to inebriation. Obviously, this particular negative behavior is not healthy.

How then does drinking become healthy It isn't the act of drinking that has benefits; rather it is what is in the wine that is beneficial.

• Antioxidants – Antioxidants called flavenoids found in red wine help to fight free radicals that cause aging. Antioxidants, found in the skin and seeds of red grapes, also help to protect arteries by preventing plaque build up, which causes heart disease. Resveratrol, for example, is an antioxidant.
• Polyphenols – Polyphenols are compounds found in chocolate, teas, fruits and wine. They provide some cardiovascular benefits as well, such as reducing blood clots and helping to relax blood vessels.

While there are obvious health benefits of red wine, too much of a good thing can have negative consequences. How much red wine do you have to drink to reap the benefits? According to Yale-New Haven Hospital, men should drink two, four-ounce servings of red wine per day. Women should drink one, four-ounce serving of red wine per day. Doctors agree people shouldn't start drinking alcoholic beverages just for these benefits if they don't already do so.

People taking certain medications or those who have social conditions that worsen by drinking alcoholic beverages should not drink red wine. Individuals that may be at risk should check with their doctor before beginning a red wine regimen.

According to researchers at the University of California at Davis, red wines that have the highest levels of antioxidant flavenoids are those that are dry. The following are the types of wines that have a high flavenoids content:

• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Petit Syrah
• Pinot Noir

Other wines, such as zinfandels, also have flavenoids, but not in as great a number as those found in dryer red wines.

The French Paradox was a term coined by Serge Renaud. His findings on the effects of red wine consumption were published in Epidemiology in March of 1998. The French people have a diet high in saturated fats, which means that they eat a lot of fatty meats and cheeses. However, they have a lower incidence of heart disease. Could there be a correlation between drinking wine with their meals and the lower incidence of heart disease? Researchers believe that the red wine counteracts the negative effects of fat absorption during the digestive process.

Can people still get the positive effects of red wine drinking without drinking it? Of course they can. Beverages such as tea and foods such as apples and chocolate contain antioxidants.

Research has proven that there are health benefits of red wine. However, antioxidants known as flavenoids can be found in other food sources, so drinking wine isn't the only way to reap the health benefits. As long as individuals have the okay from their physicians to enjoy drinking wine, there is no reason not to continue drinking it with their meals or by itself.

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