The Health Benefits of Red Wine

The wisdom about healthy eating changes frequently, and it can be hard to keep up, but one consistent thing is that many studies point to there being health benefits from drinking red wine. Red wine is said to aid digestion, as well as help keep your arteries and heart healthy. Red wine also enhances the flavor of certain foods. Fans of red wine often like to talk about the 'legs' and 'body' of their wine, and enjoy the full flavor and texture that red wine has to offer.

White wine is really just a mix of alcohol, water, and flavoring – the grape juice that the wine starts off as is oxidized by the yeast added in the wine-making process, and the sugar is converted into alcohol and carbon dioxide. If you are on a diet, it is best to choose a low alcohol white wine.

That said, both red and white wine have a positive effect on the digestive system in moderation – one glass of wine with your meal will probably be beneficial to you.

How Is Red Wine Good?

Red wine is not a 'cure all' but it can be a good preventative for a number of diseases, including heart disease and certain forms of cancer. Some studies show that drinking a glass of red wine each evening can reduce the risk of heard disease by as much as 30%. It can also have a positive effect on cholesterol and blood pressure.

What is In Red Wine?

Those who live in France and many parts of the Mediterranean region have a lower rate of heart disease than certain other parts of the world, even though they consume a relatively high fat diet. It is though that this is because there are certain anti-oxidants found in red wine. These anti-oxidants increase the amount of HDL cholesterol in the blood. HDL is the 'good' form of cholesterol, and can help prevent blood clots and plaque from forming on arteries. The anti-oxidants also have anti-cancer properties.

How Much Should I Drink?

The important thing to remember is that red wine is good in moderation – it only takes a small amount of red wine to see the health benefits – one glass of wine per day for women, and one or two for men. A glass is typically four ounces, so a 'home measure' of wine in most cases is probably more than enough.

Drinking too much red wine can eliminated the health benefits. Red wine is also not advised for people with a history of alcoholism in their family, or those who have health conditions that could be made worse by the consumption of alcohol.