Although there are many health experts that feel drinking alcohol is fine in moderation, this hypothesis needs to be verified and thoroughly tested. The fact is that alcohol has a very narrow therapeutic window and too much has an adverse overall effect, leading to
Wine is not for everyone. Certain medical conditions are worsened by the consumption of wine. Here are other dowsides of wine consumption:
Research has indicated that moderate intake of red wine can be beneficial to the heart health. Its cardioprotective effect has been attributed to antioxidants present in the skin and seeds of red grapes. It is believed the antioxidants, called flavonoids, reduce the risk of coronary heart disease in three ways by:
It has been well documented that moderate amounts of alcohol can raise HDL-"good" cholesterol and thin the blood. This is thought to be one of the primary cardiovascular benefits from wine (red and white). Therefore, consuming one drink (defined as a 5-ounce a glass of wine) along with a meal may favorably influence your blood lipid profiles following that meal. But if you drink more than that, the possible health benefits will be lost and your health risks will go up. What matters with wine is the amount of wine you have.
Researchers at the University of California, at Davis have found the highest concentrations of flavonoids (antioxidants) in
White wine had significantly smaller amounts of flavonoids than the red wine varieties. The bottom line is the sweeter the wine, the fewer the flavonoids. Dryer red wines are your best bet for a flavonoid boost.
A four-ounce glass of wine is equivalent to one serving (drink). Men may benefit from consuming one to two servings every other day. Women may benefit from one serving every other day. This is not to say that you should start drinking alcohol if you presently do not! However, for some people, 1 drink may be plenty, 2 may be too many, and, unfortunately, 3 may be not half enough. Therefore, if you cannot restrict, for whatever reason, your drinking to light to moderate levels, you should not have alcohol. You also need to be aware that consuming large amounts of red wine or just grapes - which have a much lower concentration of antioxidants than wine - will increase your insulin levels and eventually have a negative impact on your lipid health due to their high fructose (sugar) content.
Is wine good for you? Yes, but in moderation and as part of an overall healthy diet only. And these recommendations are limited to individuals with a clean bill of health. It is also clear that people with health problems, medical and social conditions worsened by alcohol should not consume any alcohol at all. Hypertriglyceridemia (high blood triglyceride levels), pancreatitis, liver disease, diabetes, uncontrolled hypertension, depression and congestive heart failure (CHF), or heart failure, are diseases that are worsened by drinking alcohol.
If you insist on drinking red wine you also need to check on the growing conditions of the grapes and how the wine is made. The wine should be made with organic grapes - free of toxic agricultural chemicals, synthetic herbicides, pesticides, fungicides or fertilizers. If it is NOT made from organically grown grapes - and with as little sulfur, synthetic stabilizers, colorings, etc. as possible - the wine may have few, if any, health benefits. For example, it may contain little antioxidants and/or no resveratrol at all. (Resveratrol is a prostate cancer-fighting compound found in red grapes from which red wine is being made). However, the debate continues on whether it is the components of the wine, the way the wine is consumed, or the lifestyle traits that is the most responsible for the healthy lives of many wine drinkers.
Resveratrol (pronounced rez-VER-a-trawl), first isolated in 1940, has since been found in various plants, including grapes. Extensive research from all over the globe suggests that this red wine constituent has many properties, including potential anti-cancer and anti-aging activity. Resveratrol (trans-3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene) is a protective compound produced by grapes and other plants in response to environmental stress. Studies have shown that it has potent antioxidant activity and the ability to inhibit platelet aggregation producing potent anti-thrombotic agents. These actions may help prevent free radical damage throughout the body and provide protective support to the cardiovascular system. Red wine also contains tannins, substances that act as antioxidants, which mop up free radicals - particles harmful to human cells. Unfortunately, there is a great deal of misinformation about resveratrol, so you need to keep the following in mind when reviewing articles and marketing information about related products. Red wine is a rich source of resveratrol. On average, there is 1.5 to 3 milligrams of resveratrol per liter (a liter is almost 34 ounces). For this reason, many sources reference resveratrol as "red wine polyphenols," "red-wine extract," etc. Actually, some studies focused on its health benefits used much greater dosages of resveratrol than the dosages actually found in an average glass of wine. As resveratrol is found in the skins of grapes, red wine provides several times more resveratrol than white wine. That is because the longer the skin is kept on the grape during the wine making process, the greater the concentration of resveratrol in the wine. In the case of white wine production, the skin is removed before fermentation, giving white wines a lower concentration in resveratrol compared to red wines. Also, as resveratrol is produced within the grape skin in response to attack by specific molds, grapes and wine produced in moist, northern climates (where these fungi are more prevalent) yield more resveratrol.
Resveratrol is vulnerable to rapid destruction by light and oxygen. Storing wine in airtight, cool conditions away from sunlight can protect its resveratrol content. In fact, the maximum resveratrol potency is available only immediately after a bottle of wine is opened. Unfortunately, making wine also involves the potential damage from alcohol and preservatives; therefore, many people prefer a dietary supplement source for resveratrol. Consequently, instead of drinking a 5-ounce a glass of red wine a few times a week, you can take a quality resveratrol supplement a few times a week. Mind you, there is only 1.5 to 3 milligrams of resveratrol per liter of red wine (a liter is almost 34 ounces, that is almost seven drinks).
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