Wine has been enjoyed for centuries, not only for its taste, but also for its potential health benefits. In recent years, studies have shown that moderate wine consumption may have a positive impact on one’s health. However, it’s important to understand what “moderate consumption” means and how it can vary depending on an individual’s health status, medications and other factors.
The key to understanding the potential health benefits of drinking wine is the concept of “moderate consumption.” The American Heart Association defines moderate consumption as up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men. A standard drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of spirits.
Wine, particularly red wine, has been linked to a number of potential health benefits. These benefits are believed to be due to the presence of certain compounds, such as antioxidants, flavonoids and anti-inflammatory compounds.
One of the main compounds found in red wine is resveratrol, which is a type of polyphenol. Resveratrol is an antioxidant that helps to protect the body’s cells from damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can cause harm to cells and contribute to the development of chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Antioxidant acts by neutralizing the free radicals.
Another compound called quercetin is a flavonoid, a type of antioxidant found in many fruits and vegetables such as apples, onions, berries and leafy greens. Studies have shown that quercetin have a number of beneficial effects on the body that includes reducing the risk of heart disease, improving cholesterol levels, and helping to lower blood pressure.
Other compounds found in red wine with potential health benefits are polyphenols such as catechins, anthocyanins, and proanthocyanidins. These polyphenols have been shown to have health benefits by reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, and improve endothelial function.
It is important to emphasize that these potential health benefits are only seen in moderate wine consumption and are not exclusive to wine as these can also be obtained through other sources such as eating grapes, berries, and nuts which contain both resveratrol and quercetin.
While moderate wine consumption may have potential health benefits, excessive consumption have a number of negative effects such as liver disease, certain types of cancer, alcohol addiction, weight gain, sleep disturbances and an increased risk of accidents and injuries.
To ensure safe and healthy consumption of wine, talk to your physician or healthcare provider about your personal health status, or any medications you are taking before making any dietary changes.
About The Author
Dr. Coco is a highly-educated and well-qualified primary care physician who graduated from the University of the Philippines Baguio with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center. She completed her three-year residency training in Family Medicine at Brokenshire Medical Center. She passed her diplomate exams in Family Medicine, given by the Philippine Academy of Family Physicians in 2018.
Dr. Coco is dedicated to providing comprehensive and holistic care for her patients. She is a primary care physician who believes in delivering continuing comprehensive health care for all. To her, patients are not just a number as she takes time to analyse how she can improve their overall health every chance they can get.
