Wine is an extraordinary product: it embodies science and art, giving happiness. But can we say, today, that wine is also good for you?
Historically, wine was the most important medical substance of the ancient world , from the Egyptians onwards. Medicine, more or less "official", over the centuries has always considered the juice of the vine as a substance capable of intervening effectively in the health-disease discussion.
Today, can we say that wine is good for you?
As with any complex subject, it depends.
1. Especially in red wine, there are various compounds with antioxidant properties , responsible for preventing aging, but also for lowering bad cholesterol and preventing some diseases (Alzheimer's seems to be among them). Regular and moderate use of red wine helps protect arteries and coronary arteries .
2. Other important elements that influence the healthiness of the wine depend on how healthy the starting grapes are and the moment in which they are harvested (the properties are superior if ripe).
3. Without a doubt, tasting wine improves mood and self-confidence , as well as stimulating creativity.
4. But that's not all: a limited consumption of wine would improve sexual life, increase cognitive performance, also reducing the incidence of colds...
5. In summary, if excessive consumption leads to a net reduction in life expectancy, moderate consumers have a longer life expectancy than abstainers on average . All this if you lead a healthy and balanced lifestyle - typical of the Mediterranean diet - avoiding abuse.
Is white or red wine healthier?
Although the benefits of moderate wine consumption are seen in both cases, in red these seem to be superior.
Two more tasting tips:
- Taste the wine slowly, combining it with food, to facilitate its absorption. And to taste while keeping calories, read the advice we wrote in the piece dedicated to the relationship between wine and diet .
- Do not associate wine consumption with smoking.
How much wine can you drink per day?
Doctors recommend drinking it every day but strictly controlling the quantity, and therefore staying within a couple of glasses a day (for women and the elderly it is advisable to stick to just one glass a day). These amounts should not exceed 10% of your total daily calorie intake. Naturally, it is much healthier to drink regularly rather than "conserve" the weekly dose by concentrating it on the weekend, a practice that should absolutely be avoided.
All this obviously not in adolescence, nor during pregnancy, in moderation, especially after a certain age.
It must be said that some studies show that part of the positive effects of moderate wine intake is also due to the fact that, on average, those who love tasting wine also favor physical activity and tend to have a balanced diet.
And who knows, maybe the fact that this poetry-turned-drink is very good for the spirit also has some positive influence on the body...
The European discussion
An update on the European discussion on the topic, in particular regarding the solutions proposed by the special commission of the European Parliament "Beca", we wrote in the column that collects wine news every month: you can find it here .
