Red Wine Benefits

Discover red wine benefits that will have you raising your glass.

Forget the apple, try a glass of Dry Creek Valley Syrah instead. In 1991, 60 Minutes aired a television program called the French Paradox that caused a commotion in both the health and wine industries. Ever since then, the wine industry has promoted wine for its health benefits and the medical community has been trying to validate any health benefits to drinking wine, particularly red wine.

In a nutshell, the French Paradox is that red wine consumed on a regular basis may decrease coronary heart disease (CHD). And as anyone who has ever eaten a flaky, melt-in-your-mouth Parisian croissant can attest, the French don't skimp on their butter and they have never found a sauce that couldn't use a tad more of it. As obese as Americans are known to be, the slimmer French consume a significantly higher amount of butter, cheese, and other foods with saturated fats than Americans. Logically, the Gallic folks on the east end of the Chunnel should be clutching their chests and dropping like flies. Yet statistically, the French have a significantly lower incidence of heart disease fatalities. This noted paradox supposed that the mitigating factor in reducing heart disease was the imbibement of red wine.

Well, Vive la France! -- Gallo and Mondavi couldn't have dreamed up a better marketing ploy, and red wine consumption spiked upwards. The program also spurred medical research to verify or deny wine's health benefit claims. In the process, over the next two decades, scientific evidence has indicated that red wine, and to a lesser degree white wine and beer, offered some health benefits with the emphatic proviso that alcoholic beverages should be consumed in moderation. The overall key to reaping red wine benefits is to avoid excessive indulgence and abuse.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the number one killer disease in the United States and affects more than one million people. Besides genetics, a common root cause to CHD is anteroschlerosis, or in the more vernacular, hardening of the arteries, a disease affecting arterial blood vessels and decreasing the body's oxygen supply. The hardening of the arteries occurs through the build-up of lipoproteins (cholestrol and triglycerides) in the arterial walls, resulting in the loss of elasticity. The best way to get these lipoproteins? Eat a thick piece of marbled prime rib with a double scoop of sour cream on that baked potato. Red wine to rescue.

An active ingredient in a red grape's skin is a phenolic compound called resveratrol. This flavonoid, and others, can be found in a grape's skin and stems. These phenolics help reduce bad cholesterol (LDL), while at the same time up one's good cholesterol (HDL). There are higher levels of resveratrol in red wine compared to white wine due to longer contact with the grape skins during fermentation and subsequent extraction time (and longer equals better). This may help explain the French Paradox and lower heart disease rates but there aren't any conclusive studies to confirm or to counter the paradox's suggestion.

Phenolics such as resveratrol are important for their benefits, but the role of alcohol cannot be understated. The chemical component in red wine that gets you tipsy may also play a part, perhaps a bigger part, in reducing heart disease. Research has also indicated that alcohol consumed regularly in moderation also aids in boosting the good HDL cholesterol and reducing the bad LDL. It also generates anti-coagulants to discourage the blood clotting which will raise heart attack and stroke risks. Another factor to consider is the relaxing mood effect that alcohol can provide as well. Stress can trigger cardiac events and the tonic potency of alcohol can reduce stress.

Antioxidants have been overhyped and underestimated. Regardless, antioxidants in general are regarded as important substances to aid cancer prevention. Coincidentally, red wine's resveratrol and other phenolic compounds are antioxidants that carry these anti-cancer properties. There is some positive research showing red wines help reduce ovarian, prostate, and lung cancers. However, alcoholic consumption may also increase the risk in cancers of the breast, the digestive tract, esophagus, and also stomach and colon. So, in this case the benefits are a mixed bag of news.

Let's review…red wine's alcohol and resveratrol help reduce cholesterol and cardiovascular disease. Resveratrol and other antioxidants help fight cancer causing cells. It that it? Not quite. Actually research is proliferating around the world and making connections with many other potential health benefits linked to a daily glass or two of red wine. The following are some of the reported possibilities associated with red wine:

• Ulcers

Wine diminishes certain bacteria that can cause ulcers.

• Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia

Studies have shown that resveratrol can protect against the encroachment of Alzheimer's by inhibiting beta-amyloid protein that creates the plaque found in Alzheimer sufferer's brains. It may also slow the progress of dementia.

• Colds and Respiratory Ailments

Red wine's antioxidants have shown to help ward off the common cold. It also may help against bronchitis, emphysema, and pneumonia.

• Obesity and Longer Life

A study has also indicated that obese mice that have consumed large doses of wine live longer than those fat mice that abstained.

• Stroke

Moderate drinking indicates reduced risk of stroke.

• Bones

A couple of glasses of red wine may help build stronger bones.

• Longer Life

Overall, moderate drinkers have shown a tendency to live longer than abstainers.

These are just a sampling of consequential benefits derived from red wine. However, it is important to remember that these benefits are based upon moderation rather than heavy or binge drinking.

General consensus is that moderation equates one glass and two glasses per day for women and men respectively. That's glasses folks, not bottles. A glass is about five ounces. There may be some deviation in this amount based upon an individual's body size.

This last bit is to rein in your enthusiasm. Whereas there are excellent health benefits from drinking red wine, it would be disingenuous to suggest there isn't a dark side. All research indicates that alcohol abuse incurs higher health risks. The following are some of these negative effects to keep in mind when thinking about opening that second bottle of Opus One.

• Obesity

Alcoholic beverages are high in calories, empty calories. Obesity is a confirmed health hazard, so remember that when eating nachos with Zinfandel.

• Liver Disease

Cirrhosis…say no more.

• Addiction

Repeat after me, "My name is ____________ and I'm an alcoholic."

• High Blood Pressure

Heavy drinking can raise a person's BP and cancel out the cardiovascular benefits.

• Accidents

Accidents happen, sure. Don't encourage them. Never drive drunk.

• Pregnancy

If you're pregnant, it's better to abstain from drinking rather than risk harming the fetus.

• Looking Foolish

I don't care if it's Italian. Do you really think that lampshade looks good on you?

Research has now shown that dark chocolate lowers blood pressure. Try a truffle with a glass of Shiraz.

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