If you love a glass (or three) of red wine at the end of the day, you are certainly not alone. Wine, and the culture that has developed around it, is more popular now than ever before. There are wine bars on every corner and boutique services making it incredibly easy to shop for, learn about, and further cultivate your love of the fermented grape.
Another contentious aspect of the consumption of red wine is the effect it has on your health. Of course, you’re going to find all sorts of information on this topic, much of which may make radically different claims. Some facts are more widely accepted than others though.
Here are some of the commonly associated red wine pros and cons:
Pro #1: It’s good for your heart
Always best to start on a positive note, it is worth mentioning that studies suggest having one alcoholic drink per day can actually reduce your risk of heart disease, one of the biggest killers throughout the western world, by up to ¼.
Your red wine habit, and the positive effects it has on your heart, might also make you better equipped to survive and recover from a heart attack. Understand that the line is thin though, overdoing it when it comes to the alcoholic drinks will have the adverse effect and make you more at risk for heart attack.
Pro #2: It keeps you looking young
Resveratrol, a compound found in red wine grapes in particular, has been shown to help slow and even reverse the aging process. Along with all the antioxidants found in red wine, your skin can benefit greatly from moderate consumption.
Again, the dehydrating effects of overconsumption won’t do you any favours, but there is much to suggest that enjoying a glass or two in the evening can go a long way to helping your skin stay tight, youthful, and gorgeous.
Pro #3: It can increase your lifespan
You’ll be grateful for the youthful skin, because some studies suggest that people who engage in one drink with dinner on a daily or almost daily basis actually live longer than their sober peers.
This life-extending effect is also believed by scientists to be caused by the resveratrol found in wine, which can work to protect and even assist in the healing of tissues inside of the body. Who knew that drinking red wine could have such a positive effect on your life?
Con #1: Red wine can do damage to your diet
Unfortunately, not all news is good news and there are also several adverse effects associated with consuming red wine. Although it is easy to forget how many calories the beverages we consume contain, because they do little to fill us up, alcoholic drinks tend to score high in this category.
There is research that suggests the body deals with the calories from alcohol differently than it does with calories from food, but it still bears consideration if you can really account for the extra if you’re actively trying to lose weight.
Con #2: Wine might actually contribute to stress
This might be a tough one to hear because many people believe alcohol can help calm them down and relax, although this is true to some extent, it also worth noting that although alcohol might decrease your body’s levels of cortisol, it also increases your tendency to focus on negative thoughts. If you have had a bad day, you might be better off skipping the wine.
Con #3: Wine might prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep
Similar to the belief that wine helps relieve stress, many consume wine to help them fall asleep at night. Although this may work initially, alcohol actually disrupts your REM sleep phase, the most important phase for your physical and mental well-being.
