The red wine benefits for health have been one of the most debated topics in health forums for many years.
A glass of red wine as part of the daily diet is considered to be very healthy by many, but some others say the expected benefits from wine should be more moderate.
However, many studies have shown that specific ingredients in grape wine have the efficiency to prevent and cure several diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases.
But it must be noted here that excess consumption of wine, especially those with higher alcoholic content, will harm the body severely in the long run than render any benefits.
In this article, we shall briefly discuss all details of red wine, both health benefits and side effects.
What Is Red Wine?
The term ‘wine’ could generally mean an alcoholic drink.
The red wine is made from the must or pulp of red or black grapes. For this, the whole grapes (together with skin) are crushed and fermented for 5 to 14 days, and finally, the fermented juice is strained and bottled.
The red color is usually got from the skin of the grape.
White wine is made by fermenting juice by pressing crushed grapes to extract the juice; the skins are removed after crushing them.
The level of alcohol present in all-natural red wine ranges between 11.5% to 15%. The alcoholic content is minimal, but consuming more than 2 glasses of wine will add up to a good bit of alcohol in the body.
There are many varieties of grape wine with differences in color, taste, and level of alcohol present in them. These differences arise because the grapes cultivated in different geographical regions differ in quality and kind.
The major health benefits of wine are derived from the powerful antioxidants and the moderate level of alcohol present in it.
How Many Calories In A Glass Of Red Wine?
You may be just wondering how many calories are in a glass of red wine, and it is important to know for those on a strict, low-calorie diet.
Nutritional and alcoholic values of 100ml (117gm) red wine in percentage are as follows:
- Calories 85
- Protein 1
- Carbohydrate 1
- Fat 0
- Fiber 0
- Alcohol 11 – 15
One serving (one glass) of red wine is usually 5 fl oz (125ml/147gm), containing approximately 107 calories.
One large glass of wine (250ml) contains 214 calories.
The Reason Behind Red Wine’s Popularity
Several health studies have repeatedly vouched for the health benefits of red wine for one undeniable reason.
It is observed that the lowest rate of heart disease is present among the French. Their diets, in general, are not the best, as their favorite foods generally contain a lot of saturated fat and cholesterol.
The only reason for a ‘healthy heart’ in most French people is believed to be their love for red wine.
Red wine is a part of the daily diet among most French. Health experts feel that the antioxidant properties of the wine are responsible for fighting the bad effects of LDL cholesterol and keeping them healthy.
In contrast to this theory, it is now emerging from the current research that dietary cholesterol and saturated fat are not a serious threat to health, as was misunderstood before.
Of course, red wine has some added health benefits. But some studies refute these claims and suggest that the French habit of eating whole-grain foods is the major reason behind the healthy heart among them.
Red Wine Has Plenty Of Antioxidants
Red wine contains antioxidants like catechin, resveratrol, proanthocyanidins, and epicatechin. The antioxidants have multiple health benefits.
Many cardiovascular diseases and cancer are associated with the oxidative damage that happens to the body. The oxidative damage in the body can be well taken care of by the proanthocyanidins antioxidant.
The grape skin has a very rich amount of resveratrol which is good for repairing cell damage or injuries.
Resveratrol is a polyphenol-type substance that can protect the lining of blood vessels in your heart.
Blood clots cause some coronary diseases. Resveratrol is an excellent antioxidant that can remove the chemical that causes a blood clot.
It is expected the regular consumption of a glass of red wine will reduce the possibility of stroke by preventing the clotting of blood.
Resveratrol tested on animals indicated an increase in longevity of life.
This key antioxidant in the wine also reduces the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (bad cholesterol), and this helps in improving the heart’s health and prevents high blood pressure to some extent.
However, some experts negate these claims as they say that red wine contains little resveratrol, which is insufficient to produce the expected health benefits unless a person drinks several liters daily.
Benefits Of Red Wine For a Healthy Heart
It is customary for people in some European countries, more popularly in France, to have one or two glasses of grape wine before dinner.
It is expected that moderate amounts of red wine give good health benefits compared to any other alcoholic drink.
Some studies indicate that people drinking about 5 ounces of red wine daily have a 30% lower risk of contracting cardiovascular diseases.
At the same time, consuming more than 150ml of wine daily increases the risk of heart disease.
It is found that 4 to 5 ounces of wine per day helps retain the blood’s HDL cholesterol. The antioxidants in the wine reduce the bad effects of LDL cholesterol by 50% or more.
As per some other study results, even people already with heart disease could also benefit a lot by beginning to drink a moderate amount of red wine daily.
It was observed that middle-aged men taking about 1 to 3 glasses of red wine daily, at least a few days a week, are at the lowest risk of stroke.
Many studies indicate less death from heart disease in people who drink a moderate amount of wine on most days than non-drinkers.
Other Health Benefits Of Red Wine
Red wine is not only good for the heart, but also, it has good health benefits in preventing and curing various other diseases.
Below given are some of the best-known health advantages of drinking grape wine as a regular diet:-
- Helps in reducing the risk of colon cancer, ovary, prostate cancer, and basal cell cancer
- Helps in reducing the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
- Helps in reducing the risk of plunging into depression and hypertension
- Aids reduce insulin resistance when two glasses of red wine are consumed daily for 4 to 5 weeks.
- Helps in reducing the risk of Type 2 diabetes in women
- Aids in preventing excess weight gain as piceatannol found in grape wine block cellular processes that allow fat cells to develop and grow. But an excessive amount of red wine consumption can have a reverse effect as it contains a lot of calories.
- Useful for protecting teeth from the cavity, as red wine could kill dangerous bacteria in your mouth
Possible Side Effects
Like any food, red wine consumption in excess amounts will also have adverse effects on health.
Drinking excess amounts of red wine with normal alcoholic content can gradually drive the individual to become an alcohol addict. It will destroy not only health but also social and family relationships.
Many physicians and health experts deliberately do not recommend grape wine as a healthy diet for fear of people falling prey to alcohol addiction.
Some of the possible side effects of excess red wine consumption are as follows:
- Regular consumption of grapes will lead to alcohol dependence.
- Drinking more than two glasses of regular red wine consumption can lead to the development of liver cirrhosis as more than 30 grams of alcohol are present in it.
- Like every alcohol addict, red wine consumers could go into depression with excess consumption of this drink.
- Red wine is rich in calories, and too much will lead to unwanted weight gain, even though a moderate amount is good for weight loss.
- More than two glasses of red wine will add up to more than the healthy limit of alcohol, which would cause diabetes and premature death through organ failures.
How Much Red Wine To Drink A Day?
Anyone can drink red wine moderately and experience its health benefits without fearing side effects.
The most commonly accepted and followed amount of red wine consumption is as follows:
- 1–1.5 glasses a day for women.
- 1–2 glasses a day for men.
It is good to have a moderate amount of red wine five days a week for the best benefits and without becoming an alcohol addict.
However, you should not be taking red wine if you are in the habit of having regular alcohol like whiskey, rum, etc. It is also not recommended for people with a previous history of substance abuse as it can rekindle their old habits.
Final Thought
Despite red wine being linked to a few health benefits, many experts do not recommend it as a healthy diet.
It is not worthy enough to encourage the intake of alcohol for the sake of little health benefits.
It is actually for the antioxidants’ sake this drink is labeled as healthy. A glass of red wine contains only a very little amount of resveratrol and other antioxidants; it means a person needs to drink several glasses to benefit from these antioxidants.
There are so many other natural foods that contain more amounts of antioxidants than red wine.
However, if you already have red wine as a principal part of the food culture in your country, it is good to carry on drinking red wine in a moderate amount.