The Health Benefits of Drinking Wine

Good news, red lovers! That daily glass or two of wine doesn’t just round out the edges; it actually provides some decent health benefits. Epidemiologic studies from across the globe show that consuming a moderate amount of wine—red wine, specifically—can help prevent cancer and maintain a healthy heart.

Since 2000, reports have shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and heart attacks. The biggest part wine plays is dilating arteries and increasing blood flow, thereby preventing buildup that may clog passages which may lead to heart disease and strokes. Red wine is rich in antioxidants which boost levels of good cholesterol while preventing bad cholesterol from damaging the lining of arteries. A study conducted by the Amsterdam-based Institute for Research in Extramural Medicine found that those of a group of 275 men and women around the age of 32 who drank a glass or two of red wine a day reflected this trend—increasing the good and flushing the bad—and attributed the wine as the primary facilitator. 

Red wine also seems to contain key components that boost our bodies’ cancer-fighting capabilities. In a 2000 study, University of Crete scientists discovered that the phenols in red wine that lower heart disease risk also may slow the growth of breast cancer cells, prostate cancer cells, and possibly oral cancer cells. One notable antioxidant by the name of resveratrol has been found responsible for preventing damage to blood vessels, lowering bad cholesterol, preventing blood clots, and inhibiting the growth of liver cancer cells. 

So while experts advise against starting drinking as a form of treatment, it’s reassuring to know that the grapes we toil over have our backs, too.