Toast Your Health-The Benefits of Drinking Wine
In Moderation, Both Red and White Wine are Good for You
The perceived health benefits of red wine have been widely-known and publicized, often attributed to the antioxidants and resveratrol found in high concentrations in the skin of the grape. Because red wine is made with the skin of the grape left on, and white wine is made only after the skins have been removed, a common misconception has been that white wine lacks the health benefits of red wine. Research has shown, however, that white wine may have equal benefits.
According to molecular biologist Dr. Dipak Das, Director of the Cardiovascular Research Center at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, "the flesh of the grape can do the same job as the skin... We can safely say that one to two glasses of white wine per day works exactly like red wine." And a study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry revealed that rats fed grape skin extract for 30 days had the same decreased risk of heart attack as rats fed grape pulp extract.
Compounds in Wine Fight Neurological Disorders, Memory Loss, Alzheimer's
A study at UCLA in conjunction with the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York shows evidence that polyphenols, a compound found in high concentrations in red wine and in lesser concentrations in white wine, may help prevent brain tumors and neurological disoreders like Alzheimer's. In November 2008, Science Daily reported that the study shows how polyphenols "block the formation of proteins that build the toxic plaques thought to destroy brain cells, and further, how they reduce the toxicity of existing plaques, thus reducing cognitive deterioration."
Drinking wine in moderation may also aid in the prevention of memory loss. In February 2008, Health Magazine reported that when researched gave women in their seventies memory quizzes, those who consumed one or more drinks a day "scored much better than those who drank less or not at all."
Take it to Heart
Cardiovascular disease is currently the leading cause of death in the United States. The antioxidants in wine are believed to contribute to its heart-healthy properties, and studies like the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry report referenced above indicate that wine has the ability to reduce the risk of heart attack. Additionally, many studies have shown that wine increases good cholesterol.
YourTotalHealth.com references "a pivotal study published several years ago in journal Nature [which] found that red wine inhibited the synthesis of a protein called endothelin-1 that can lead to the development of atherosclerosis, a build-up of fatty material along the artery walls."
Doctors Agree... Moderation Makes All the Difference
While the health benefits in wine have been studied and documented by medical researchers worldwide, medical experts agree: moderation is key. When overindulged in, any alcohol can cause far more damage than it can prevent. Sports nutritionist and American Dietetic Association spokeswoman Lisa Dorfman told YourTotalHealth.com: "I wouldn't start drinking to protect my heart... I would exercise and eat well first."
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