It’s the news we’re all utterly delighted to hear – wine is, as we’ve suspected all along, actually quite good for us. And as it’s been enjoyed pretty much as long as anyone can remember, it’s not surprising that the science proves that a glass of wine keeps you fine. We revel in tales of formidable French ladies, fit, healthy, living to grand old ages attributing their longevity to wine. Red wine is usually the hero but there’s increasing evidence that white wine offers some of the same health benefits. So whether you plan ahead and buy your alcohol online or you pop in to your local store as and when required, here are some of the plus points to drinking a glass of wine.
Live better – for longer
Talking of those French women, the anti-ageing properties of wine have long been talked about – and it’s all down to resveratrol, a handy little compound found in fruit like blueberries and cranberries. It’s also in grapes, specifically the skins, which have plenty of contact with red wine during the wine making process. There’s evidence to suggest that you can help maintain your balance as you get older, prevent middle-aged weight gain, keep your hearing sharp, prevent cataracts and other blinding diseases, and keep your teeth healthy all with the odd glass of red wine: no danger of slurping mushy food and constantly re-tuning hearing aids as you get older, then. Of course, a glass of wine is not enough for you to stop your dental trips, and https://www.chelmsforddental.com.au/ is a good resource for this if you need further information about oral health.
Traditionally-made red wine also contains high levels of procyanidins, which are one of the factors attributed to the longer life spans enjoyed by the people in Sardinia and the southwest of France. And while no one’s suggesting you abandon the sunscreen, it’s been found that wine and grape derivatives can help reduce the damaging effects of UV light.
Not only will you be able to eat what you like and enjoy your favourite music in the sun while reading a book and relaxing with a glass of your favourite grape-based tipple, you also reduce your chances of developing serious illnesses by drinking wine.
Crush a grape and beat depression
Mental health issues seem to be on the increase, but there are a variety of studies that link a glass of wine every now and then to real benefits to our mental wellbeing – that fuzzy glow is actually doing some good. In fact, it’s been shown that drinking wine can reduce the likelihood of developing depression, and other neurological problems. Resveratrol comes to our aid to reduce the stickiness of blood platelets, which helps keep the blood vessels open and flexible and maintain a good blood supply to the brain, reducing risks of dementia. It also raises levels of an enzyme which protects nerve cells in the brain from damage if you’re unlucky enough to suffer from a stroke.
A number of studies have shown that drinking a glass of wine occasionally – red wine in particular – can protect against a variety of cancers including some forms of breast cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer and prostate cancer.
In addition, there’s evidence to show that red wine can protect against heart disease and heart attack, keep a check on Type 2 diabetes and liver disease, improve your lung function, may help with acne, and may even lower the risk of stroke (as well as protecting against damage if the worst happens).
Of course, we’re not suggesting this is the basis for quaffing serious amounts of wine on a daily basis, but you should feel confident that not only will a glass of wine every now and again do wonders for morale, it’s giving you a health boost too!
