Does a Glass a Day Keep the Doctor Away?

There are many people that say drinking a glass of red wine a day is good for your health, but there are also plenty of people that say this isn’t true. So, yes or no: does red wine help keep you healthy? The answer is: in moderation and as part of a healthy diet, yes.

The idea that red wine keeps us healthy comes from the “French Paradox.” Despite the fact that their diet that is loaded with saturated fat, very few French people die from heart attacks. Scientists discovered that 83 out of 100,000 Frenchmen die from heart disease compared to 230 in 100,000 Americans. The major difference discovered, is the amount of red wine drunk.

Moderate amounts of wine can raise your good cholesterol, called HDL, and thin your blood. Non-alcoholic phytochemicals, which are naturally occurring plant parts, in wine such as flavanoids and resveratol act as antioxidants. Antioxidants prevent molecules called “free radicals” from causing cellular damage to the body .In other words, they help to keep you from getting sick. Resveratrol in particular has been proven to prevent blood clotting and plaque formation in the arteries by altering lipid profiles and plasma viscosity. A study suggests that it can also produce potent anti-thrombotic agents that can potentially improve cardiovascular health and lower the risk of heart disease.

Sure, white wine contains resveratrol as well, but red wine provides much more. During the wine making process, the longer the skin is kept on the grape, the greater the concentration of resveratrol in the wine. The skin is removed before fermentation when making white wines, giving it less resveratrol than red wines.

Despite its health benefits, there are negatives to wine. Wine consumption can elevate triglyceride levels, which are associated with health problems such as diabetes. Women with or at high risk for estrogen positive breast cancer should be careful with their wine consumption because studies have shown that alcohol can increase estrogen levels and raise tumor progression. Wine may also be a trigger for those who suffer from migraines. Also, wine, and any other alcoholic drink, contains many empty calories. People who consume these drinks often consume these empty calories, which are calories that lack the nutrients we need, and often lead to weight gain.

So when deciding on whether or not to have a glass or wine with dinner or not remember this: for it to be considered healthy, men should have no more than 2 drinks per day and women, no more than one. The mere fact that the French drink more red wine than we do, does not necessarily mean that it’s the reason why they are at less risk for heart disease. A balanced diet and drinking in moderation is really what is needed to stay healthy.