Cheers to National Red Wine Day—the perfect excuse to pour a glass, sit back, and relax. A wine holiday calls for the classic cocktail party question we all know and love: Red or white? Whether you’re riding the line or committed to one side, it’s good to know a few token health benefits of each type. In good nature, we’ll stick to red for today. But to all the white wine lovers: Fear not, we’ll get to the moscato and riesling soon enough.
Meet Red's Antioxidant, Resveratrol
A lot of red wine’s benefits come down to the presence of resveratrol in most types of red wine. But does anyone actually know what that means? Red grapes are packed with resveratrol, which is a plant compound that acts as an antioxidant. That could mean a lot, but to put it into simple terms, here are some of the benefits that come with any substance (specifically red wine) that contains resveratrol:
• Lower blood pressure
• ⬆️ good cholesterol and ⬇️ bad cholesterol (win-win!)
• Combats inflammation
• Increases insulin sensitivity
• Helps protect cartilage from deteriorating (in layman's terms, easing joint movement)
Currently: Tipping my hat off to resveratrol while tipping my glass back. Who would have thought that an antioxidant could bring so many benefits? Just a disclaimer, red wine is not 100% comprised of resveratrol, but it contains it, so it could carry some of these benefits along with a good sip (or two or three).
Higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids
When consumed in moderation, red wine offers another benefit of boosting levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Before you shriek at the thought of something fatty, hear me out. Omega-3 fatty acids fall under the umbrella of good fats, so you’re in good hands here. In fact, these acids help lower blood pressure while also preventing heart disease. You can ditch the fish oil supplements and swap them for a nice glass of red wine instead.
Healthier gut
The jury is still out, as there is a recent study supporting this claim, but research done by King’s College London shows that red wine may contribute to gut health. The study found that red wine drinkers had increased gut microbiota diversity, which basically means an overall healthier gut. It’s not a done deal, given that this study is fairly new, but researchers are already suggesting a potential reason for the correlation—the presence of polyphenols in red wine. This goes back to resveratrol, which is part of the group of polyphenols.
Time to wine n' dine. Tonight (or today, all you day-drinkers), you have a good reason to bless your soul with a healthy pour. Keyword: Healthy. Moderation is key. We all know the feeling of a sugary wine hangover, and it ain’t pretty. Host a wine night and savor every moment of this well-deserved holiday. Drink up, buttercup!
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