Is Red Wine Truly Good For You?

Is it too good to be true, or is red wine actually good for you? I enjoyed one too many glasses with some good friends this past weekend. When I woke in the morning, it certainly didn’t feel like it was good for me. Yet, every once in a while, we get a little gift. According to Benjamin Franklin, “God invented wine because he loves us and wants us to be happy.” Happy? Check. But, can something so wonderful be healthy as well? Here are 5 reasons to pour yourself a glass:

1. Red wine contains reservatrol, a type of polyphenol. Resveratrol comes from the skins of grapes. Since red wine is fermented longer than white wine, it has more resveratrol.

2. Polyphenols are antioxidants which may act to protect the lining of the blood vessels.3. Research on animals suggests that resveratrol may also protect against obesity and diabetes, but likely only in quantities too large to be good for you in other ways.

4. Resveratrol is also thought to reduce LDL or “bad” cholesterol and to reduce risk of blood clots.

5. Alcohol, in general, has been studied. Many studies show alcohol will raise HDL, your “good” cholesterol, prevents blood clots and helps prevent artery damage.

6. People who drink moderate amounts of any alcohol seem to have a lower risk of heart disease. The greater power of red wine in particular is still being studied.

Remember:
• Too much alcohol can cause and aggravate many other health problems. The key to enjoying the social and health benefits of alcohol is moderation.

• Moderate drinking is one drink/day for women and two drinks/day for men.

• Reservatrol is found in peanuts, blueberries and cranberries as well. If you don’t care for wine (gasp!), you may be able to get the healthy heart benefits of red wine by drinking grape juice instead.

I’m going to take this good news and milk it … right off the vine. Let’s toast to our good health!

One bite will transport you to a place just shy of heaven:
Chocolate Chip Oreo & Fudge Brownie