Wine is good for you. That’s common knowledge, but exactly why wine is good for you, perhaps some of us can’t answer outright. There is a school of thought that says drinking any form of alcohol is not healthy, while there are groups of people who would fight tooth and nail to extol the benefits of drinking. Of course, moderation is the key, as with everything else. If you need reasons to justify your love for this wonderful drink, let me help you out.
Reason #1: Wine can help retain your memory.
I kid you not. Drinking a glass of wine on a daily basis aids in keeping your memory sharp. In this day and age of people having problems with memory retention, this comes as good news. No need for pills and other treatments. A simple glass of wine a day can help you achieve good results.
There is a basis for this – studies have been conducted on women aged 70 years and above. The control group had stopped drinking wine many years before the study. The other group was composed of women who continued to drink wine on a daily basis. Guess what the results were? The people in the second group had better memory than the people in the first. Scientific explanation: wine has properties that help reduce blood clots and avoid blood vessels from getting inflamed.
Reason #2: Wine can help boost your immune system.
Does Helicobacter pylori bacteria ring a bell? This bacteria is the evil behind illnesses such as gastritis, stomach cancers, and ulcers. The good thing about wine is that it contributes to reducing the risk of infection from Helicobacter pylori. A group of British researchers conducted a study on this and found out that the risk can be lowered by as much as 11 per cent! More than that, as little as half a glass of wine can also help guard you against minor food poisoning.
Reason #3: Wine can help you watch your weight.
Weight watchers, rejoice! Unlike beer, wine (in moderation) does not pack on the pounds. One reason is that wine inherently has lower caloric content as opposed to beer (even light beers have a considerable amount of calories). Another – better – reason is that the alcohol in wine actually burns calories! You have to realize, however, that this effect has only been observed in people who drink a glass or two of wine a day. If you drink a bottle a day (or more), then forget this benefit.
Reason #4: Wine can help keep your bones healthy.
Again, this property seems to apply more to women than men. Research has shown that women who drink moderate amounts of wine have higher bone densities than women who do not drink wine at all. This is due to the fact that alcohol actually increases estrogen levels, which in turn aids in slowing down the degradation of old bones in the body. Think of it as preserving what’s there.
Reason #5: Wine can help avoid cancer.
No, I am not making claims like a snake oil salesman does. Wine does have the potential to prevent cancer and other problems related to aging. This is because wine contains a lot of anti-oxidants, thanks to the grapes from which it is made of. Grapes have a lot of these antioxidants in the seeds and skin. In the process of making wine, the antioxidants are absorbed and concentrated even more. Again, it goes without saying that these properties do not give anyone the license to overindulge, as the benefits would be overthrown by the disadvantages of too much alcohol consumption.
Reason #6: Wine can help prevent diabetes.
Diabetes results from blood sugar problems. The thing about wine is that it seems to contribute in controlling blood sugar issues. While researchers cannot say exactly how and why wine has this effect, studies have shown that women who have one or two glasses of wine a day have significantly lower risks of experiencing type 2 diabetes.
Reason #7: Wine can help you enjoy the company of your friends and family more!
Indeed, a glass or two of wine over (or after) dinner never fails to add a warm glow to the atmosphere. Even people who are normally reticent and who keep to themselves tend to loosen up a bit after having some wine. After a long day at work, there is nothing like a good meal with some wine to help you sit back, relax, and enjoy the company of those around you!
Drinking wine does not mean that you are putting yourself at risk. In fact, if you read all the reasons above, you’d know that it is quite the opposite. Drinking wine everyday has its benefits on top of the simple fact that it is pure joy to the tastebuds!