Wine toast… TO YOUR HEALTH!
Almost every day, there seems to be more information about the health benefits of moderate wine consumption. An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but a baby aspirin and a glass of red wine every day are right up there too!
What ingredient in wine is good for our health?
The ingredient that provides health benefits is Resveratrol. It’s an anti-oxidant that comes from the grape skins. That’s why red wine has more resveratrol than white wine. White wine is produced by draining the juice off as soon as the grapes are crushed. Red wine juice is left in contact with the skins to pull out colour and tannins (and Resveratrol).
The French Paradox
A few years back, the 60 Minutes TV show did a special called the French Paradox. They investigated the paradox between their rate of heart disease versus the diet of the population in France. Their diet is much higher in fat, which would tend to lead to a higher rate of heart disease. Yet, there is a lower rate of heart disease in France than in North America. They concluded that the higher rate of red wine consumption, and therefore Resveratrol, was a factor in producing a significant benefit for coronary artery disease.
Wine isn’t just for special occasions
Wine consumption is on the rise in North America as our aging population moves to a form of alcohol that is beneficial rather than detrimental. However, many North Americans still treat wine as a special occasion drink: Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. In Europe, it’s an everyday drink. A glass of wine with dinner and sometimes another nightcap before bed doesn’t push blood alcohol above .08 ppm, but it does have a soothing effect as well as those anti-oxidants.
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