Now that we’re fully into the New Year, you may be waning on your resolutions to keep fit and stay healthy. If you’re feeling guilty about opening up a bottle of wine, remember that moderate wine drinking is considered beneficial for health (provided you’re in good health already. If not, consult your doctor). And moderate wine consumption can most certainly be worked into most diets.
(Moderate here means one glass for a female and two glasses for a male. Males can consume slightly more alcohol because males retain more body water than women, so the concentration of alcohol in a women’s blood stream is generally higher.)
Health Benefits
There have been many studies around the world that have demonstrated the health benefits of wine in moderate consumption. These benefits include heart health, reduction in memory loss, strengthening of the immune system and in some cases even preventing against bone loss. For the most part these claims are attributed to red wine.
Red wine contains an antioxidant called reservatrol, which is mostly found in the skin and seeds. Red wine stays in contact with the skin and seeds for an extended amount of time, and this primes red wine with this component. White wines do contain some reservatrol, but if you want to really experience the health benefits, one should stick to a full bodied red such as a Cabernet Sauvignon or Petit Syrah.
Let’s look closely at some of the specific health benefits.
Healthy Heart — Antioxidants in red wine work to reduce the bad cholesterol and increase the good cholesterol. It does this by flushing out the bad cholesterol from your arteries; furthermore, antioxidants reduce blood clotting, which means you get double-action cardiovascular protection.
Brain Health — Resevratrol in red wine can be a key player in protecting the brain from stroke. It can also help with the formation of nerve cells and reduce plaque, which experts believe could help with neurological diseases with as Alzheimer’s, Dementia, or Parkinson’s.
Prevention Against Cancers — Researchers have also seen some benefits from wine consumption with regards to some types of cancers such as stomach, colon, and ovarian.
Diabetes — Some studies have shown that resevatrol can work to lower blood sugar levels, and also effects insulin levels as well.
Healthier Weight — Did you know that people who consume one glass a day have a lower body mass than people who indulge occasionally? It’s true. If one is going to indulge, it might as well be a relatively low-fat drink instead of, say, a Big Mac.
Wine and Dieting
If you’re more concerned about keeping your heart healthy by watching your weight you be interested in knowing how many calories are present in a glass of wine. After all, most diets explicitly prohibit alcohol due to the sheer number of calories usually present in most alcoholic drinks, most especially mixed cocktails and beer. However, if you’re reading this blog you’re probably of the persuasion that a nice glass of wine is something that should be enjoyed every once and a while. So why set yourself up to fail? Instead of feeling guilty about a glass of white or red, why not just incorporate it into your diet? Anything in moderation, and we’re going to go over the specifics on how to moderate those hidden calories.
There are approximately 25 calories per ounce of red wine; with the standard glass of red wine being 5 ounces, each full glass has approximately 125 calories per glass.
We’re focusing on red wine here because if you’re dieting, that is generally what is recommended. Red wine contains fewer calories than white wine, and this is because whites generally retain more sugar during the fermentation process, and therefore contain more calories.
Some “trendy” diets refer to a glass of wine as being 4 ounces—this is more what you would expect ordering a glass of wine at a restaurant. It is a strict pour, and as a wine enthusiast you may be more accustomed to something in the 5-6 ounce range. If you’re trying to tighten the belt on your caloric intake, one way to indulge in that extra ounce or two while still keeping the weight off is to simply cut out some the accompanying sweets from your diet. After all, if you’re enjoying a nice Pinot do you really need to add any more flavors into the arrangement?
While on the point of sweets, it’s important to note that different wines obviously vary in terms of how much alcohol is present. It’s important to keep in mind that the higher the alcohol content, the higher the calories are going to be. So while dessert wines are usually consumed in a smaller serving, the amount of calories consumed is going to be around the same as a full glass.
If you’re somewhat partial to beer and are curious as to which is healthier, the answer is wine. Wine has fewer calories than a regular beer, and on average less preservatives.
Well, hopefully you're feeling a little bit better about your applying the wonders of wine to your health. Stay tuned for our next blog on
