So what\u2019s all the fuss about? Is wine really good for you or is it some clever marketing\u00a0gimmick that a wine brand manager thought up? No, not one bit. There is clear proven\u00a0reasoning why wine, especially red wine, is good for you. Here\u2019s a look at why –<\/p>\n
In the beginning wine was used in very early times by healers and priests who used\u00a0wine not only for healing but for religious purposes as well. Wine was considered safer\u00a0to drink than water at the time and therefore right form the start wine has always been\u00a0considered somewhat of an alternative medicine or a drink with mysterious health\u00a0benefits.<\/p>\n
Red wine, more than white wine is rich in a compound called phenolics (sometimes call\u00a0polyphenolics).These phenolics are derived from the skin (dark skin gives red wine its\u00a0colour), stalk etc of the grape. These particular compounds have anti oxidant properties.<\/p>\n
One of the many phenolic compounds found in wine that has gained considerable\u00a0attention is Resveratol which has potent anti oxidant properties. This is also found in\u00a0green tea which is also known for being good for ones health; don\u2019t take my word for it\u00a0ask the Chinese.<\/p>\n
Any alcohol in MODERATE amounts is widely believed to be good for ones health\u00a0including spirits and beer. The word moderate here is key and most countries have issued\u00a0guidelines on what moderate drinking should be in terms of standard drinks per day per\u00a0person.<\/p>\n
The health benefits of wine became widely known in 1991 when the American TV show\u00a060 minutes did a programme discussing how people in France were indulging themselves\u00a0in eating a diet rich in fat no less and drinking copious amounts of wine without any\u00a0bad effects on their health in comparison to their American counterparts. This is now\u00a0commonly known as the French Paradox. The answer they found was in their habit of\u00a0drinking wine and also the method in which they consumed it i.e. with their meals. The\u00a0show overnight changed the fortunes of many wineries and producers and world over\u00a0sales of red wine went through the roof!<\/p>\n
Similar studies in Italy have also shown that drinking with meals also reduces the risk of\u00a0heart attacks and other heart diseases.<\/p>\n
The biggest advantage of drinking wine is its effects on coronary heart disease. A\u00a0moderate amount of alcohol improves the balance between the harmful and beneficial\u00a0forms of cholesterol and helps in the thinning of blood. Wine has also been linked in its\u00a0effects on reducing the risk of certain kinds of cancers but there is not enough research\u00a0to substantiate this accurately. It can help people with respiratory problems however\u00a0can trigger wheezing in asthmatics due to presence of sulfites. This is why you will find\u00a0that most wine labels will mention \u201cContains Sulfites\u2019. Wine has also been linked to\u00a0prevention of loss of vision with age, lowering the risk of non insulin dependant diabetes.<\/p>\n
For weight watchers dry wines have fewer calories than other spirits or beers, especially\u00a0spirits that are consumed with mixers.<\/p>\n
Nobody advocates drinking copious amounts of wine or any alcohol to get incremental\u00a0health benefits, infact that will do serious harm. However, there is a feeling backed by\u00a0proof that moderate drinking is better for you than heavy drinking quite obviously but\u00a0also better than not drinking at all.<\/p>\n
On that note, I wish you compliments of the season and urge you to try and drink\u00a0sensibly…Cheers !<\/p>\n
Nikhil Agarwal,\u00a0Sommelier and Director at All Things Nice \u2013 www.allthingnice.in<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" So what\u2019s all the fuss about? Is wine really good for you or is it some clever marketing\u00a0gimmick that a wine brand manager thought up? No, not one bit. There is clear proven\u00a0reasoning why wine, especially red wine, is good for you. Here\u2019s a look at why – In the beginning wine was used in … Continue reading Health Benefits of Wine<\/span>