Needless to say, wine is the center of happiness. We drink it after a long day, we drink it with a nice fancy dinner, and we sometimes drink it just because. But despite wine's ability to bring happiness and the giggles, drinking wine in moderation can actually have some health benefits.
As if we needed an excuse to drink more wine :)
So pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy these five reasons that will validate your second glass.
Many studies have pointed to cardiovascular protection to being the top health benefit of drinking wine. Red wine specifically is known for it's high polyphenol antioxidant content, which helps protect the lining of the blood vessels in the heart. Heart attacks are strokes are caused when blood vessels become blocked. Therefore, red wine helps to prevent blood clots and supports healthy blood vessels.
A 2013 study in Spain made a possible connection between wine consumption and depression. It was found that individuals who drank 2-7 glasses of wine per week were less likely to be depressed than those who did not drink wine. It was noted however, that heavy consumption of wine was associated with a higher depression rate.
Yes, you read that correctly!
A glass of wine is food for the brain. Surprisingly, the chemicals that are in red wine help prevent the brain's neurons from dying. This is often why studies suggest that red wine slows the onset of certain neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
Who doesn't want to promote better gut health?
Of course, while heavy consumption of any alcohol weakens your tummy's health, the right amount of red wine has actually been linked to some positive benefits! Another study in Spain showed that individuals drinking 9.2 ounces of red wine for 20 days saw in increase in probiotics (good bacteria) and a decrease in harmful bacteria in your gut.
The longer we live the more wine we can drink!
Whenever we think about longevity and a healthy lifestyle, the Mediterranean diet always comes up.; wine being at the core of this diet.
Harvard researchers found that resveratrol, a compound found in red wine, activates an anti aging protein , leading to a decrease in mortality rates.