Health benefits of red wine, according to Science

Who says you need a fountain of youth to live a long life? Pour yourself a glass of wine and get ready to learn some surprising benefits.

Wine has been subject to intensive study over the years and it has been proven to be an elixir. Take these fascinating facts about how wine can impact your health lightly, get to know your preferred beverage and drink with moderation.

Studies have found various connections between consuming wine and improving the quality of life.

In ancient times, due to the scarcity of water, wine was an essential need rather than a luxury. Hence, it came to symbolise sustenance and life.

The foremost thing to realise is that the quantity matters and the majority of studies shows results in glasses per day or week. Anyhow, saving it all during a week to binge over the weekend will result in zero health benefits.

How might alcohol help the heart?

Before we focus on the health benefits of red wine, it is important to know that there’s still no clear evidence that beer, white wine or liquor aren’t any better than red wine for heart health.

Various studies have shown that modest amounts of all types of alcohol benefit your heart, not just alcohol found in red wine.

We learned in our last article Red wine: Good for your heart? that red wine:

raises HDL cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol)
helps prevent artery damage caused by high levels of LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol)
may improve the function of the layer of cells that line your blood vessels
reduces the formation of blood clots

Drinking wine can lead to longer life spans

Resveratrol is a polyphenol that can be found most especially in red wines. It is a powerful antioxidant found in grape skin and red grape juice. Antioxidants help the body fight off free radicals that can damage our cells and organs.

Studies show that resveratrol promotes health and longevity by increasing the activity of a protein called sirtuins. Sirtuins protect the body against diseases of aging.

Several studies have suggested that consuming alcohol, particularly wines, have shown health benefits that lead to longer life spans. Nonetheless, these studies emphasise that positive benefits only come with moderate consumption.

So, if you want to protect your body against diseases of aging, drinking a moderate amount of wine gives positive health benefits that may lead to long life.

Drinking wine helps boost the immune system

According to researchers, daily consumption of wine can boost the immune system.

Ethanol, the chemical component of alcoholic beverages and also wine, helps boost the potency of vaccinations.

Drinking wine in moderation can help build immunity that can combat 200 viruses.

Wine contains high levels of antioxidants in the form of flavonoids which can fight strongly against viruses.

As proof, red wine can help cure flu and cold symptoms. The polyphenol resveratrol can stop viruses from multiplying once they have entered the body’s system.

To sum up, daily consumption of wine helps boost the immune system as it contains a high level of antioxidants which fight against viruses.

The nutrients in wine can prevent Alzheimer’s

People growing old tend to fear losing their memory. Some believe it is inevitable, however, there are plenty of ways that one can prevent it. One of these methods is by consuming wine.

Dementia is a chronic disorder of the mental process that gradually takes place during old age. Studies show that drinking wine can reduce the risk of having dementia, which often leads to Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s disease is a developing mental deterioration that can occur as one ages. Again, resveratrol found in wines helps in keeping blood vessels open, so that the essential supply of oxygen and glucose can move freely to the brain to keep it alive and working.

In a nutshell, resveratrol which can be found in wine keeps the blood vessels free from blockages that can affect brain functions in retaining memories.

Drinking wine can keep depression at bay

Depression has been a common but serious disorder for some people because it can affect how you think, feel, and handle everyday activities.

It may sound contradictory that drinking wine can keep depression at bay, as most people know that alcohol consumption can worsen one’s depression or anxiety. In spite of that, drinking wine moderately can turn into a depression-fighting depressant.

A seven-year study undertaken by Predimed analysed 5,500 individuals, ranging from light to moderate drinkers, and found that those who drank two to seven glasses of wine in a week were less prone to depression than non-drinkers.

However, as expected, those who drank heavily were more prone to depression.

So, enjoying two to seven glasses of wine in a week may be the remedy for depression.