EAT FOR HEALTH.ORG

 WHY WINE IS A SUPER-HEALTHY DRINK

Wine is often consumed as part of a Mediterranean diet and it has considerable health promoting properties. The most important anti-oxidant in wine is a chemical called resveratrol and this chemical has many impressive properties when studied in the test tube related to inflammation, cancer and allergy.   

Note though that red wine has a high content of resveratrol while white wine has very little.  This is because resveratrol is found in the grape skins. During the manufacture of white wine these skins are removed, whereas they are left in the fermentation process when making red wine and the resveratrol is leached out from the skins by the alcohol. Grape juice has a high resveratrol content but it is not absorbed well by the gut and free resveratrol levels in the blood are low after drinking grape juice.  

Moderate wine drinkers live longer than non-wine drinkers, even when the non-wine drinkers drink other forms of alcohol.  An analysis of 26 long-term studies showed that wine’s benefit on vascular disease follows a J-shaped curve. Drink too little and there is no benefit. Too much is harmful. The plateau, i.e. the most beneficial amount, coincides with 150 mL of wine a day.  

It is unlikely you will ever see official health recommendations for everybody to drink red wine since there is the potential for abuse. It is also an inappropriate drink for pregnant women and it is illegal for anyone under age 21 to possess alcoholic drinks in the US, although there are exceptions in states for religious purposes and with family members.   Nevertheless, for responsible adults a half a cup of wine a day is an excellent tonic for health and longevity – as well as adding depth and richness to a meal.