Kellie Roberts Is drinking red wine good for your health? Or is it as unhealthy as any other alcoholic drink? It’s a topic of much debate. The truth is likely to be somewhere in the middle – red wine does have some great health benefits, but it can also have some health risks that cannot be ignored. This post delves into some of the pros and cons of drinking red wine.
Pro: Red wine is good for your heart
Red wine is made from red grapes, which are full of antioxidants. Some of these antioxidants are very good for the heart due to their ability to fight inflammation and reduce blood clotting. Proanthocyanidins is one major example. Another is resveratrol (which is produced as a result of damage to grape skins during the fermentation process).
Studies have found that those who drink red wine in moderation are at lower risk of heart disease than those who do not drink it at all. It is thought that red wine is the key to the French paradox – despite a high-fat and high-carb diet, heart disease rates are relatively low in France, which is likely due to regular consumption of red wine.
Unfortunately, heavy alcohol consumption is not good for the heart. Having alcohol in our bloodstream increases blood pressure by stimulating adrenal glands. This constant high blood pressure leads to the heart and arteries getting worn out more quickly. Drinking large amounts of red wine regularly can therefore cancel out the heart health benefits.
Con: Red wine isn’t good for your liver
It’s no secret that alcohol is bad for our liver. Our liver gets rid of toxins from our body including alcohol. Consuming too much alcohol can put too much stress on the liver – it is unable to process all the alcohol, which can lead to more alcohol being stored as fat. Stress to the liver can also cause scarring as cells die off and are unable to regenerate quickly enough.
Red wine has a high alcohol content and so regularly consuming it can damage the liver. The antioxidants in red wine can partially help to counteract this, but only when drinking red wine in small amounts.
Pro: Red wine may help fight wrinkles
Many studies support the idea that drinking red wine may help to fight ageing. The same antioxidants in red wine that are good for our heart are also good for our skin – they are able to neutralise free radicals in our skin and boost the production of collagen in order to fight wrinkles. In fact, antioxidants found in red wine such as resveratrol are commonly found in anti-ageing skin products.
A few glasses of red wine per week could therefore keep your skin looking youthful. Of course, heavy alcohol consumption can have the opposite impact on our skin by dehydrating our skin and increasing inflammation (so drink in moderation).
Con: Red wine can stain and damage your teeth
Red wine may not be the best drink for our teeth. Due to its high acidity, red wine can wear down enamel. Tannins within red wine can meanwhile stain our teeth. On top of this, the alcohol within red wine can cause us to get a dry mouth, which can lead to bacteria growth and gum disease.
There are ways to counteract the damage that red wine causes to our teeth such as drinking lots of water and using whitening toothpaste. And, of course, there are procedures that a cosmetic dentist can carry out such as teeth whitening to counteract staining of the teeth. However, ultimately it is better to minimise consumption of red wine if you want to protect your dental health.
Should you drink red wine?
Red wine can have its health benefits – but it is best to drink it in moderation. Most of the negative health effects of drinking red wine are the result of drinking it in excess.
How much red wine is too much? Most experts agree that women should drink no more than one glass of red wine per day and that men should drink no more than two glasses of red wine per day. Of course, if you are drinking red wine, it is important to not drink any other alcoholic drinks.Low alcohol and non-alcoholic red wine is the healthiest option you can choose. Cooking with red wine is also healthier than drinking red wine because heating it up causes a lot of the alcohol to evaporate (it’s worth noting that mulled wine is also less alcoholic, but added sugars may counteract it’s added health benefits).
