Benefits of Drinking Red Wine

Medically Reviewed By Kayla Loibl | Last Edited : December 18,
2020 | 4 Sources

Benefits of Drinking Alcohol

The benefits of drinking red wine are said to be greater than those of other popular alcoholic drinks
Because it reduces cholesterol and contains Resveratrol

Red wine is of benefit for two major reasons:

It reduces cholesterol
it contains resveratrol

The Benefits of Drinking Red Wine:
It reduces cholesterol

Too much alcohol can be detrimental to your health, increasing your blood pressure, as well as your risk of developing certain cancers. When drunk in accordance with moderate drinking levels red wine can be good for you.

In fact, all alcohol contains 'good' cholesterol.

The scientific name for 'good' cholesterol as HDL (High Density Lipoprotein).

It is called 'good' because it reduces levels of 'bad' cholesterol.

The scientific name for 'bad' cholesterol is LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein).

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This means that if you drink alcohol regularly, and at safe levels, your arteries are less likely to clot.

Many studies have shown a protective role of modest wine consumption in both vascular and nonvascular health conditions. Moreover, they have also found a link between wine and benefits like lowering risk of dying from heart ailments.

This benefit is not limited just to red wine, beer and white wine contain flavanoids. These also protect against artery damage and are antioxidants.

Research shows that antioxidants may protect the human body against some cancers.

So far so good but there's more........

The Benefits of Drinking Red Wine:
It contains Resveratrol

Red wine contains more flavanoids than other alcoholic drinks plus another non-flavanioid substance called Resveratrol.

Resveratrol is a substance found in the skin of the grapes that go to make up red wine. It is also shown to prevent artery damage.

However-and this is quite a big however-the effects of Resveratrol have only been tested on mice.

The benefits of Resveratrol on humans would only be seen if a person drank the equivalent of 100 bottles of red wine.

So don't run down to the wine shop just yet.

Check out this video clip from Docshop.tv on the benefits of red wine and Resveratrol:

Is it Good to Drink Alcohol Then?

There is no doubt there the benefits of drinking alcohol, and red wine in particular, are generally accepted.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) gathered together recent research from over 20 countries and the findings were quite consistent: Moderate drinkers live longer than those who either abstain from alcohol or who drink heavily.

So there you have it. Alcohol in moderation is of benefit.

But, it is only of benefit if you drink at safe levels. But if you have a drinking problem then using the benefits of drinking red wine as an excuse to continue drinking is, obviously, not advisable.

Also, if you have abstained from alcohol in the past then it would be foolhardy to start drinking just to get the benefits of drinking red wine.

The same benefits can be had from eating more fruit and vegetables (in particular red grapes).

It is always a danger to start drinking alcohol as some are more susceptible to the dangers of alcoholism than others.

I always find it strange how people try to justify their drinking by praising the health benefits of alcohol.

There are far better (and cheaper) ways to benefit your body than drinking alcohol. There is no doubt that drinking red wine has benefits.

Yet they aren't that great.

Using the health benefits of alcohol as an excuse to continue drinking or to increase drinking is pure folly.

Drinking more water, taking more exercise, eating a healthier diet are all far better for you.

Not as fun maybe.... but just don't use the excuse that the benefits of red wine or alcohol are why you drink.

Nonetheless, if you enjoy red wine, ensure that you limit yourself to moderate amounts.

Lead Writer/Reviewer : Kayla Loibl

Licensed Medical Health Professional

Hello!

I am a Mental Health Counselor who is licensed in both New York (LMHC) and North Carolina (LCMHC). I have been working in the Mental Health field since 2015. I have worked in a residential setting, an outpatient program and an inpatient addictions program. I began working in Long Island, NY and then in Guelph, Ontario after moving to Canada. Read More

Sources:

Harvard Health Publishing. Is red wine actually good for your heart? February 19, 2018. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/is-red-wine-good-actually-for-your-heart-2018021913285

NCBI. Red wine: A drink to your heart. Oct-Dec 2010. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3023893/

Time. Here's What Happens When You Drink Red Wine Every Night. October 12, 2015. https://time.com/4070762/red-wine-resveratrol-diabetes/

American Heart Association News. Drinking red wine for heart health? Read this before you toast. https://www.heart.org/en/news/2019/05/24/drinking-red-wine-for-heart-health-read-this-before-you-toast

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