What Are the Benefits of Consuming Wine?

Red Wine is known to have great health benefits as long as one has moderation when consuming it. When consuming wine in moderation you are raising your "good cholesterol (Hdl-Cholesterol) and thinning your blood."There's studies that indicate that wine including red sometimes is not so good. Let's take a look at the benefits of consuming wine.

"The research evidence points to ethanol, or the alcohol component, of beer, wine, or spirits as the substrate that can help lower cholesterol levels, increase 'good' HDL cholesterol,"

Red Wine is known to be good for the heart. Both red and white wine can provide cardio vascular benefits because of the non-alcoholic phytochemicals that wine contains; Such as, flavanoids and resveratrol. Wine is also known to contain antioxidants, especially red wine which is more fruitful with berries and grapes.

There are some studies that indicated Red wine can cut dementia, or prevent cancer and even lower cholesterol,and then there are those studies that say that even one glass of wine a day may harm you because of heavy metals found in wine. In 2008 Uk Researchers found dangerous doses of seven heavy metals of which included vanadium, copper, and manganese. But four other metals with THQs above 1 also were found: zinc, nickel, chromium, and lead; in most European red and white wine. That study indicates that it's okay to consume one glass without any harm, but if one consumes a glass every day then problems may arise over time.

The 2005 dietary guidelines indicate that in order for wine to benefit us Women can consume one glass a day. Men can consume two glasses a day. They also mention that wine should be budgeted into discretionary calories. While others say that red wine can help you live longer and the same benefits are similar to a low calorie diet. The compound resveratrol apparently tricks the body into believing it's getting more calories than it actually is. "Research published in the June 3 issue of the online, open-access journal Public Library of Science One (PLoS One) suggests that drinking red wine may offer many of the same benefits as a reduced-calorie diet."

A study was done on over aged mice and it said to find that low doses of resveratrol improved their overall health, including lower rates of cancer and maintaining normal weight.

Okay, so which one is it? Drink wine, don't drink it? All of these studies clearly say drink but in moderation but with the right amount of diet and exercise. One article says to drink a glass a day with food because wine tends to get your appetite going and make you hungry. One drink is considered five ounces of wine. One glass of wine usually varies between 110 up to 200 calories so be very careful when overdoing it on the glass while at restaurants.

In my opinion, the reason you find heavy metals in wine as in a lot of things we consume, is because of all the synthetic ingredients that they use to add color, flavor etc. We have to make sure we buy a good wine that does not contain these synthetic ingredients, these are usually found in those fruity wines. From what I've learned through years of consuming wine- Red wine, the dryer the better, because the red grape skins and seeds are fermented along with the grapes. In white wine the skins are removed and not giving the full benefits. Once again moderation is the key with everything we do, apply a healthy lifestyle and you will benefit greatly. For those who do not consume alcohol theirs always pure grape juice and a lot of vegetables and fruits which can create the same benefits, sometimes give you better results.

(Sources: Joy Bauer: Is wine good for you. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/21478144/ns/today_health/

Daniel J Denoon: Heavy Metals found in wine. http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/food-poisoning/news/20081029/heavy-metals-found-in-wine

Kelli Miller Stacy: Can red wine help you live longer? http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20080606/can-red-wine-help-you-live-longer

Daniel J. DeNoon: Americans get diet road map to health. http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20050112/americans-get-diet-road-map-to-health)