Cheers to Wine Day!

Yesterday was Drink Wine Day!  Red wine has been associated with being heart healthy for quite some time now, but the question is how?

Red wine contains antioxidants, which may aid in preventing heart disease.  They increase your good cholesterol levels and protect your arteries.  The antioxidants in the red wine are called polyphenols, specifically resveratrol.  Resveratrol may be the star ingredient in red wine that aids in preventing damage to your blood vessels.  It may also reduce the bad cholesterol, reduce inflammation, and help prevent blood clots.  All of these factors can help prevent heart disease.  More research is needed in order to know if the resveratrol is responsible for a reduction in heart disease.

If you are a red wine drinker already, be careful not to overdo it.  Too much alcohol can pose risks to your health.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.  If you currently do not include alcohol as part of your healthy lifestyle, it is not recommended that you start.  Remember to never drink if you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant. This can have negative health outcomes for your child such as fetal alcohol syndrome in which growth, physical, and mental problems can occur.

Drinking red wine is not the only way to get resveratrol.  Foods such as red grapes, peanuts, cranberries, and blueberries all contain this powerful antioxidant and other nutrients that are beneficial to your health as well!

So the next time you plan on having an alcoholic beverage, choose red wine for its potential health benefits, in moderation!  And as always, make sure to check with a physician about making moderate alcohol consumption a part of your lifestyle.

What is your favorite type of red wine?

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