3. Boost your body’s defenses
In one British study, those who drank roughly a glass of wine a day reduced by 11% their risk of infection by Helicobacter pylori bacteria, a major cause of gastritis, ulcers, and stomach cancers. As little as half a glass may also guard against food poisoning caused by germs like salmonella when people are exposed to contaminated food, according to a Spanish study.
4. Guard against ovarian woes
When Australian researchers recently compared women with ovarian cancer to cancer-free women, they found that roughly one glass of wine a day seemed to reduce the risk of the disease by as much as 50 percent. Earlier research at the University of Hawaii produced similar findings. Experts suspect this may be due to antioxidants or phytoestrogens, which have high anticancer properties and are prevalent in wine. And in a recent University of Michigan study, a red wine compound helped kill ovarian cancer cells in a test tube.
5. Build better bones
On average, women who drink moderately seem to have higher bone mass than abstainers. Alcohol appears to boost estrogen levels; the hormone seems to slow the body’s destruction of old bone more than it slows the production of new bone.
Next page: Prevent blood-sugar trouble
Comments (100)
does it matter if it’s red or white wine?
Yes….red wine is much healthier- white wine has a much higher sugar content and therefor is more likely to cause health problems
i have high colestrol i m 29 yrs old male. doc said my cholestrol is 271. is red wine is gud for my chlostrol?
Does drinking wine affect liver function?
Yes, adversely if you drink too much.
does it effect lever function
Which is better, white or red?
Looks like it may affect spelling…
which drink isbest for men beer or wine
My grandmother enjoyed at minimum, two glasses of red wine a day for all of her adult life. She lived to be 105. Not that there’s a direct correlation but she did live the longest and drank more than anyone in our family…
red is better- it contains reservatrol.
please translate to persian For Iranian ( tnx )
Red wine is actually better for the heart because not only does it have reservatrol but it also has antioxidants and heart healthy nutrients which helps to keep the tissues and veins healthy and working well.
Also, it does not affect liver funtion because it does not contain the harmful elements that liquers do. Off course, like everthing else if not taken in moderation,there could be negative effects. Remember we are not talking about drinking wine to get drunk. It’s about receiving whatever health values there are.
it is red Zinfandel better than white. Does It matter the type of grapes? which one is better? Merlot,Cabernet, Zinfandel,etc…..
How does one glass of red wine daily consumption can affect a person with fatty liver, multiple sclerosis,and without thyroid glands?
I read this study in the BBC News/Health online :
The London team tested extracts from 23 red wines, four white wines, a rosé wine and one red non-alcoholic grape juice sample, after finding that certain chemicals – called polyphenols – from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes decreased the manufacture of ET-1 in bovine artery wall cells.
They found that, in the red wines, the amount they inhibited ET-1 ran parallel with the amount of these polyphenols they contained.
The white and rosé wines had no similar effect
which is the best wine for health?Is it red or white wine.and name some best wines to buy and drink.
iait ok yo drink wine???
is it ok to drink wine??
If red wine helps in controlling weight, how come so many Italians are fat? They drink lots of wine.
Just wanted to thank CC for a good laugh.
Red wine has more anti-oxidants than white wine. Both in limited amounts are good for you – lower blood pressure, thin the blood, however above limited amounts behave just the opposite – increase blood pressure, cause liver damage etc. So volume control is essential.
Would 4 four once glasses per day be okay? I’m 75.
“one British study”, “Australian researchers”? What kind of source reporting is that? Were they reputable establishments? Sponsored by wine manufacturers? Have the studies been verified and independently repeated? Did these studies really control for all other factors? Economic status, educational background, genetic predisposition, etc? I don’t doubt wine can be good for you, and also take away some liver function, but give us solid sources and both sides of the story.
Can you get the same health benefit from eating grapes rather then drinking wine? Grapes taste so much better!
Brain cells are destroyed by any form of alcohol. You are better off taking nutrient supplements.
Yah it’s true …Red wine is the best.
Italians may drink a lot of wine, but they also eat a lot of pasta! I think that all those carbs pretty much counteract any postive weight benefits of the wine!
Wow, is the author a member of the “wine lobby”? She references several studies (sometimes vaguely), but missed others that say that the benefits of alcohol, as well as compounds like resveratrol, may have been overestimated.
Sometimes there’s more to it, as “media scoffer” suggests. Fot example, “it turns out that wine drinkers tend to live healthier lifestyles” (Duke University alcohol researcher Aaron White, PhD.) In other words, they can’t say definitively that the benefits come from drinking.
There are also a lot of possible negative consequences. The benefits are strictly limited to “moderate” consumption. That is one–read that again–one 4 oz glass of wine for the ladies per day, and up to two for the guys. Do you limit yourself to that? If not, you have exceeded what they say is healthy. Kind of takes the fun out of it, doesn’t it?
And there are some people who might have a tendency to alcoholism who might decide to try moderate drinking, due to articles like this one that tout only the pros, and find themselves unable to limit their intake.
But there are risks to even moderate drinking, especially for women. “Even a drink or two a day of alcohol may raise the risk of the most common type of breast tumors” (WebMD).
It is likely there are some health benefits to regularly drinking small amounts of wine, but they might not outway the negatives for some people. If you already drink and can control it, I wouldn’t recommend you stop. But if you do not currently imbibe, I wouldn’t recommend you start, either. There are less risky ways to get many of the same benefits.
Alcohol is no goooood! Best wine is clean water……
it sure helps the revelry!
It’s spelled resveratrol, not reservatrol. And you can get the positive effects of resveratrol from red grapes without worrying about getting inebriated or having your liver malfunction. Alcohol is a drug.
Wine is delicious….
Compliments food….
and in moderation helps combat stress…
hhd
Great commentary “R” thanks for weighing in with the “con” on this topic. Real truth is balanced and on this topic you definately put a balanced spin on the “pro” wine article. Well done!
I am allergic to sulfites which are in red wine, and if you buy wine without sulfites, it is nasty. My legs get weak immediately. Some medicines do the same thing.
Is red wine better for your health than white and is there a difference between cheap n expensive wine (health wise)??
apparently drinking wine is good for your memory, but now they say it shrinks the brain. so which situation is better to have a smaller brain or a bigger memory????
Where are the answers to the above questions?
i will say this: “cheap” and “expensive” are not good ways to describe wine: it’s not the price on the bottle, but the taste. i’ve had some very good wines that were almost laughable in the price department – steals! i’ve also had some wine i wouldn’t drink again that was upwards of $50 per bottle.
red wines are better for you, healthwise (read comments above) – the main reason being they are lower in calories and higher in antioxidants. any deep red, purple, or blue fruit is high in antioxidants as a general rule (acai berries, red grapes, blueberries, blackberries, etc). white, zinfandel, and blush wines have more calories because they generally have more unprocessed (read: undigested by the yeast) sugars.
as far as the brain shrinkage goes, it was a very small amount – 1.5% difference. i would be concerned if it were more like 5% or even 10%. i think i’ll toast the loss of that small percentage over a glass of shiraz.
I can attest wine does affect at leasty type 1 diabetes. I am a neo-natal type 1, had it for 44 years. The first few times I drank wine, red or white, only 1 glass as I cannot stand the taste, I ended up in ER with my sugar count at 0. Every time I have a glass, my sugar drops so I counter it with graham crackers.
Why rely on studies with conflicting results, do your own study. Try drinking a glass of red wine every evening for a month and see if you notice any changes in your health.
Emily,
No one is allergic to sulfites (no proteins), but about 5% of asthmatics are “sensitive.” Sulphites in certain doses can cause respiratory distress. Headaches, weak legs and all the other anecdotal symptoms blamed on sulfites have never been proven in any scientific study. By the way all wine (or any fermented beverage) contains sulfites as it is a natural by-product of yeast – and human- metabolism. The differenc in added or not is the amount (ie. ~20 pmm vs. up to 70 ppm.)
Wine seldom gets credit for being fermented but some say all fermented foods are good for you. Isn’t yogurt supposed to bring long life too? Fermentation also separates wine and beer from distilled liquors, which is often a dividing line in health studies but is never noted as such.
I agree w/”R”. Nice job. I’ve read that the amount of red wine you’d have to drink to get any benefit from the good stuff in it- is negated by the amount of alcohol you’ve put into your system *to get it there*. I just drink a couple of glasses while I’m making supper – cuz I like it. I don’t have to have someone tell me that it’s good for me to make myself feel better. lol Make supper. Reduce stress. Kill braincells. I’m fine with that.
A follow-up on CW’s question: If alcohol makes the memory bigger but the brain smaller, what happens when the memory exceeds the size of the brain? Do you start remembering things that didn’t happen?
Besides the obvious benefits stated in the article, it can also help promote stronger morning wood.
Bravo, JB!!! Your logic made my day.
Thank you.
What happens to both if you drink 1.5-2 bottles of wine a day?
Not to be negative here, but this article seems to be a fanciful dance with the facts that nearly glamorizes alcohol consumption. Further, the author provides no sources or references to help us understand the topic further.
There are indeed health benefits to consuming a single glass of red wine a few times per week: mainly for the antioxidants, as well as reduced blood clotting, reduced risk of heart disease and and positive impact on both HDL (good cholesterol) and LDL (bad cholesterol). Note that this holds true mainly for red wine only, which contains a much higher amount of antioxidants than white wine.
However, this pertains to consuming one glass of red wine 2-3 times per week.
This is much different than just moderate alcohol intake in general, or even consuming more than one glass of wine on any night or on every night of the week.
The real question is: do the benefits of moderate alcohol consumption (meaning anything more than 1 glass of red wine 2-3 times per week) outweigh the risks? Most health, fitness and nutrition experts will tell you no.
1.) Feed Your Head — That’s an interesting study. But many studies also suggest that alcohol intake reduces cognitive function. A new article on CNN discusses brain shrinkage due to alcohol intake. This doesn’t mean memory loss, but it does mean less brain volume: http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/diet.fitness/10/14/healthmag.alcohol.brain.shrinkage/index.html
2.)Keep the scale in your corner: Again, one glass of red wine is fine, but remember: alcohol consumption boosts cortisol levels (stress hormone) and slashes testosterone levels in the blood for up to 24 hours. Cortisol inhibits fat loss. After alcohol consumption, the body burns less fat for up to 24 hours. This can contribute to loss of lean muscle mass.
6.) Type 2 Diabetes: Another interesting reference to a study that I’d like to read. However, once you have Type 2 Diabetes, you must take more care with alcohol consumption: http://www.health.com/health/condition-article/0,,20188721_2,00.html
Bottom line: A single glass of red wine 2-3 times per week does have health benefits.
But regular alcohol consumption (several drinks every night) can increase blood pressure, raise triglycerides in the blood leading to high cholesterol and increased risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as slash beneficial hormones (testosterone) and harmful ones (cortisol) in the blood, putting the brakes on fat loss.
So….what would be the top red wine brands
Does anyone know actual statistics regarding how many glasses of wine the average European (say French or Italian) drinks a day with meals, etc ? I’ll bet its 3 or 4 glasses a day without serious issues. In the USA it seems politically incorrect to recommend any consumption over 1 to 2 glasses a day… regardless of evidence to the contrary.
What is you price range? It varies from the Rothchilds at several thousnd a bottle to “two buck chuck”. Bordeaux? Cabernet? Merlot? Bottomline, top brand is up to your taste buds and wallet.
For health, religous, or personal reasons millions of Americans choose not to drink at all. Among this group, there is no alcoholism, no unintended pregnancies due to the influence of alcohol, no fetal alcohol syndrome, no drunk driving, no alcohol related fighting or domestic violence, no hangovers, and no beer bellies, not to mention much lower bills at restaurants. Most of the purported “health benefits” of wine can also come from grapes or grape juice, so it is amazing that people still claim drinking is healthy. I guess the alcohol lobby learned from the tobacco lobby and is funding lots of studies and PR so that people don’t come to their senses. Recent studies show alcohol causes brain shrinkage. I’ll pass on that, thanks.
Where are the answers to these questions?
Is “2 buck chuck” really only $2?
Why is red better than white?
please publish it clearly the benefits,plus points and minus points to clear the perceptions.People will not abuse then.
what do white wine do for the heart?
Very interesting article.
Just curious to know why you do not post your references?
Gregory
I am 14 years old. Should I encourage my mom to let me drink small amounts of wine every day?
Help?
In response to Joe Purtle…
First of all, not ALL Italians are fat. I myself am Italian and it’s not the wine that does it. Have you taken into account the amount of carbohydrates in pasta? The breads and pastas consumed by many Italians are probably more likely to do with the weight gain, not the wine.
To Stashu…
If you were to drink 1.5-2 bottles of wine a day, you are considered an alcoholic.
what if the human drinks only 1 glass of beer everyday but doesnt feel drunk or anything is wrong with him ?would something be happeineg in the human body without the human khnowing?
This is horrible!!
Alcohol is a poison!
It causes weight gain….. has anyone heard of the beer belly?
Everyone knows that alcohol causes you to gain weight!
Alcohol also shrinks your brain!
Alcohol also causes 60 types of cancer (ie: breast cancer!)
14 year old Mecca! AHHHHH
Studies have shown that when you are a teenager (15-25) you go through brain growth!
Alcohol destroys that brain growth! I would say no to alcohol period… make it a life stlye to NOT DRINK!
Did you know that underage drinkers are a spawn for future alcoholics, trust me the alcohol industry knows all about it!
is grape wine considered red ine
Alcohalic beveragesare not good for physical as well as psychic health. If you ever use them use in moderation.!!!!!!
I absolutely love the taste of red wine. However, moderation or balance is applicable to everything in life. Not just food. Avoid extremes and have fun. Life is too short to be obsessive in any direction, Just relax and enjoy life in balance and you won’t feel guilty about anything. Don’t forget to smile too, it’s very sexy, especially with a glass of red wine in your hand! Just kidding about the last part, but you get the idea.
“S” – what a inaccurate generalisation. Depending on the amount of alcohol consumed, there are no studies which come to mind which show tiny amounts of wine cause stunting of the growth of the brain…
Surely the lifestyle “not to drink” is biased? I drink, some weeks not at all, some weeks a little drink when im doing some work at home, but you can’t really say that drinking causes a bad lifestyle. Its dependant on the person.
Underage drinkers are NOT a spawn for future alcoholics. I was classified as an underage drinker thanks to my sensible parents, and as a result i fully respect the consequences of excessive alcohol consumption and know not to take it for granted. Contrast this with one of my housemates who was not bought up around drink, who now binge drinks and leads a very unhealthy lifestyle. I’m not saying this is the same for all, but definetly goes against your argument…
I came here to finally satisfy myself that it was ok to start drinking small amounts of wine for health reasons only. As a non-drinker for 45yrs (not even a taste)all my life, I felt I was missing out on something. Growing up in a police family of non-drinkers and a cop myself, I only saw the bad side. However, after reading everything I can find on it, I have decided to continue without.
Why you ask? A stressful job, a father of four young ones (two CF and one with CP), worring about our financial future and the future for my children. Why take a chance that I may need to drink to relax one rough evening and then it starts. Everyone who drinks must admit that they drink to ease the day. Thats fine. My strength to just ease the day may be not strong enough.
Until actual “wine” is determined to be the only healthy way to go, I will eat grapes with my children.
Could you name some red wines that I could purchase, and that are good for health?
Thank you, Jim
Must be red wine, filled with antioxidants to keep u healthy… a pomegranate will also do, but whats the fun in that?
Can you drink arbor mist daily as a wine or do it have to be red or white?
Can you drink Arbor Mist as a wine daily or do it have to be red or white only?
should you rather drink one glass a day than two?
and should it be red wine or white wine?
Alcohol causes breast cancer.
Not very good reporting. No sources quoted, no second opinions.
At the end of the day, a healthy diet and regular exercise don’t have any negative effects. Drinking wine, however, can have negative effects – particularly when not consumed in moderation.
It would be great to see a follow up article that is balanced and cites authoritative sources.
@ Joe, Kristen
I did a brief article about why Italians are actually much healthier than you. Wine does get touched on, but it certainly isn’t the only reason why Italian’s live a healthy lifestyle. See for yourself.
http://www.digitaltrainer.ca/blog/2009/01/sundays-seven-reasons-why-italians-are-healthier-than-you/
All of a sudden, studies and research all say that red wine is good, makes you lose weight, keeps you young, and in short: Wine makes you happy.
As if my great grandparents didnt know this already.
As someone said once: All nutritionists are clueless. All we need to know about nutrition is what our grandmothers told us: eat and drink a little bit of everything, whit moderation.
Oh! And how come these European bas***ds get to live more and happier than us americans if they all smoke, have smaller cars and are poorer in general?
We were taught a master since babies on how to live life and enjoy it. Meat, wine, cigarrettes, sex, love, family, 7.5 hours/day of work, 2 days off a week, 6 weeks/year paid holidays, free medical care, etc, etc…
A Spaniard.
Thank you very much for your article on wine.I enjoyed reading it.I lived in Italy for several years and drank red wine and I still do so today.I am pleased to learn of its benifits.Once more thank you for it.Jumbam
For most people weight loss is a constant endeavor. It might not be the easiest thing to achieve but once you get the facts right you will realize that it’s not all that tough
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Make sure that you take up some form of exercise; be it yoga, gym, dance, walking or even skipping. Take the first step if you haven’t started already; and if you have, make sure that you maintain a constant pace or gradually increase the amount of exercise that you do.
Is white zinfadel just as beneficial as red wines for the heart?
Thank you very much your article.This article is very useful
i believe that above and beyond the chemical benefits are the psycological perks, a few glasses calms the mind, lifts a heavy heart and instills an overall sense of warmth and well being.
I lived in Italy for nine years and enjoyed drinking wine moderately.It was not red wine all the time but most of it was red.I noticed no negative side effects during all these years.
I know red wine is better for our health but white wine doesn’t stain your teeth!
Nice! Off course, like everthing else if not taken in moderation,there could be negative effects. Remember we are not talking about drinking wine to get drunk.
you can get more feed back from the there as well,
lahealthandrejuvenation
For those who do not want to drink alcohol but still want red wine benefits, try resveratrol. There are a few reviews and warnings here:
ReveratrolDangers.com
References schmeferences . . . I will conduct my own double blind study. Shiraz v. cabernet . . . I’ll let you know . . . if I can remember which is which. http://lipstickdaily.com
Was there a study done on men? I am a moderate wine drinker, mainly red.
Excessive wine comsumption has contributed to many unplanned pregnancies too.
Don’t overlook 1 Timothy 5:23 in the New Testament in its suggestion that we “stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of [our] stomach and [our] frequent illnesses.” Who can ignore the Bible in our attempt to achieve good health?
@3rd Gen Non-Drinker: I would agree that any “brain shrinkage” would not be favorable for you since you already have some mental limitations. Your logic, as it were, is absurd.
People who don’t travel via automobile experience no auto accidents, no road rage, no auto-induced motion sickness, don’t pay for auto auto insurance and don’t have to worry about the price of gas.
See how silly that sounds?
I see that red is better, I have a family friend that makes his own(has a small vinyard), is that just as good?
There may indeed be some benefits from alcohol in moderation. The key, however, is not to have too much. Diluting wine with water used to be a common practice in many cultures. It is all too easy to justify drinking wine without acknowledging its abuse. The abuse results in drunk driving fatalities, as well as a host of physical degenerative conditions. I would be surprised if you can’t duplicate the health effects of wine by simply ingesting other supplements.
I have one beer at night as a stress reliever, apart from that i dont drink. It is just for that reason and i think there are a lot o benefits, stress=bad
Wine is pretty good for many things, heart included.
If you don’t drink wine there are many substitutes you can find at your local super markets. Pom wonderful is great!