Nothing’s better than popping open a cork after a hectic day at the office, and the exquisite wine that flows in tempting drops into your polished glass.
Sometimes in this sweet moment we hear this voice whispering in our ear “should I really be drinking wine?” We then try to answer the question by countering that a little wine won’t hurt. Of course, overindulgence on anything is a health no-no, but what if it’s just a glass or two of your favorite wine per week?
Most of us know the heart-healthy benefits of red wine. Now, prepare to be relieved and amazed! Did you know that your wine-drinking habit can be a powerful health elixir? Check out the following benefits of wine that go way beyond heart health.
1. Live Longer. Yep. A recently discovered Blue Zone on the Island of Ikarios are people who live longer than anywhere else in the globe. Their daily wine consumption is agreed to be one of the reasons for the phenomenon. That and eating fewer animal-based foods and consuming more plant-based foods. You’ll notice that the residents of Sardinia and Crete continually sips dark red wine, the same variety of pinot noir from Advintage. A study in 2007 found out that procyanidins, a compound found in red wine tannings help promote heart health.
2. Promote eye health. Resveratrol also hinders out-of-control blood vessel that grows in the eyes. This is according to a research conducted at Washington University School of Medicine. This aids with treatment of age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. Take note though that these studies were done in mice, so the dose for humans is not yet clear. However, this is a promising start.
3. Get Smarter. The resveratrol found in wine may help improve short-term memory. Tests show that 30 minutes after trial, researchers notice that participants taking resveratrol can retain longer words and has increased performance in the portion of the brain connected with the production of new learning, emotions, and memories.
4. Prevent Prostate Cancer. A report by Harvard Men’s Health Watch found out that men who drink an average of four to seven glasses of wine every week have a 52% less chance of being diagnosed with prostate cancer compared to those won don’t. Red wine is also associated with the prevention of aggressive or advanced cancers.
5. Lessen the risk of stroke. Wine can also reduce the risk of ischemic stroke. An analysis adjusted for sex, age and smoking, intake of wine on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis was associated with a lower risk of any type of stroke compared with no wine intake.
6. Prevent breast cancer. Red grapes have the ability to stop the activity of aromatase, the enzyme found in breast tumors that produce their own estrogen – doctors call this an aromatase inhibitor. Red wine can serve as a nutritional source of aromatase inhibitor, which may decrease the elevated breast cancer risk caused by excessive alcohol intake.
7. Reduce your diabetes risk. People who drink wine moderately have a 30 percent lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. This may be because of resveratrol, which enhances sensitivity to insulin. Insulin resistance is the most vital factor that contributes to Type 2 diabetes risk.
The only mistake you can make is to rely on a bottle for all your health concerns. Overindulgence is a no-no. Now that you’ve seen the many awesome benefits of wine, it’s time to drink a glass!
