The Health Benefits of Wine
Tynan Szvetecz
Tynan Szvetecz
While the introduction of the double-blind study into our modern scientific world has been but a blip on the radar screen in the 7000 year-old history of wine, it has given renewed vigor to the case that wine not only makes you feel younger, it actually can help prolong your life. The Italians have a saying that one barrel of wine can work more miracles than a church full of saints. And the Italians arguably have a longer running relationship with wine than any other modern culture.
When the evidence came to light that wine, especially red wine, has so many benefits for long-term physical health that some researchers have asserted it is more detrimental to your health to not drink it, the Europeans shrugged and the Americans gasped. The French and the Italians view wine as the water of life.
It is deeply entrenched in the cultural psyches of both areas as a vehicle by which you achieve health and live a good, meaningful existence. To not drink a glass or two of wine every day at every meal excluding breakfast is to be three-quarters of the way to dead.
The Americans were flabbergasted at the news because it exposed what Danish researchers dubbed the French Paradox. A scientific team in Denmark was the first to uncover the remarkable phenomenon that, on average, the French consume about 30% more fat than Americans in the form of cheeses, butter and meat. However, the French have far lower cholesterol levels than Americans and a startlingly 40% fewer heart attacks. The researchers found the moderate and daily consumption of red wine was the missing link in the American diet.
In research that has been reproduced and expanded upon throughout the world, it has been confirmed that the nutrients, minerals, vitamins and immune system boosters that are contained within red wine can add-up to substantial long-term health benefits--especially for individuals at risk for heart disease as the result of a high fat, high cholesterol diet. New research is beginning to uncover the presence of powerful antioxidants in red wine, including veratrole and catechin among others, that are known to reduce blood clotting, reduce risk of heart attacks, and even help combat some forms of cancer.
This is all of course assuming that wine is consumed in moderation, just as the Europeans do, defined as roughly a glass or two of wine every day. Any alcohol consumed in excess can lead to serious health problems including heightened risks for severe liver, kidney and psychological disorders.
Research has determined that what distinguishes the health benefits of wine from other alcoholic beverages is the notable presence of tannins and esocyanine which are composed of polyphenols. Polyphenols have a positive effect on the vascular system as well as stimulating antiviral and antibacterial responses in the body
. The implication for women is particularly important, as a Harvard University study has found that a glass of red wine a day can reduce heart attacks for females by 25%. In addition, wine has been found to lessen and in some cases bring a cessation to the degenerative effects of osteoporosis.
And the benefits do not stop there. No pun intended: wine seems to go to the very heart of what ails us. It aids in digestion, stimulates the appetite and combats neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. It has even been found to help combat both Anorexia and Obesity.
The benefits to the heart, bones and immune system not withstanding, wine helps address the big kahuna of problems in most people's lives: stress. While it's true that alcohol in of itself reduces emotional stress when consumed in moderation, wine adds an additional quality that is reflected in how it is enjoyed. In Europe, wine is always consumed at meals (among other times). Sitting down for a lunch and dinner is a time to relax and enjoy your food and surroundings. A glass or two of wine helps promote this sense of taking a time-out to enjoy your life. There is no better time in a hectic day of work than at meals to give your mind, body and soul a respite from all of the demands of a modern lifestyle.
Wine is a way to take a step back, to remember why you're living in the first place, a way to savor your life, if you will.
