If you love drinking wine, then you are definitely not alone. The wine industry is a huge part of the international food and drink sector, and finding the right vintage could set you back a very hefty sum. But is there any good reason to drink wine other than the fact that it tastes nice? Well, yes! As you are about to see, there are plenty of benefits – all of which are backed up by science.
7 Benefits Of Drinking Wine – Backed By Science
1. It Lowers Your Heart Disease Risk
Red wine is packed full of anti-oxidants, which makes it great for increasing your good cholesterol and getting rid of the bad cholesterol that you don’t want. This means you have a much lower chance of getting clogged arteries, heart disease, and even a heart attack! This was all confirmed by several studies done in the year 2000.
2. It Can Slow Cancer Growth
The University of Crete once discovered that wine can prevent oral cancer and that it also slows down the growth of cancer cells in the breast and prostate. Scientists in France, meanwhile, found that liver cancer cells can be slowed down by one of the antioxidants in wine, known as resveratrol.
3. It Makes You Strong
If you have a history of osteoporosis in your family, you might want to start adding a glass of wine to your daily menu. A study found that women who drink between 11 and 29 grams of alcohol a day, which is between 1 and 3 glasses of wine, have greater bone density. Beware, though – heavy drinkers will lose this advantage, so you don’t want to overdo it.
4. It Prevents Alzheimer’s
If you are worried about Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia, then the flavanols in wine may be your new best friends. They protect your body’s cells and support healthy blood vessels, which means, you can improve your blood flow to the brain and prevent blockages.
Researchers tested this by giving a memory quiz to women in their 70s. Those who were used to drinking one or more glasses of wine every day scored better than those who didn’t drink at all or drank less often.
5. It Makes You Happy
In 2014, researchers sent one group of people to a pleasant environment but gave them only soft drinks. The other group went to an unpleasant environment but had a glass of wine. Who had the biggest mood boost? The wine drinkers! So now you know it’s not just hearsay – science has proven that wine really does make you happy.
6. It Makes You Live Longer
Meta-studies are when researchers look at lots of different studies to see if there is a trend across all of them. One meta-study searched over one million people to see what happens if you drink in moderation for a lifetime. They found that those who drink moderately actually had longer lives, which means you could be on track for a few extra years if you enjoy a glass of wine now and then. Again, it’s worth noting that heavy drinkers do tend to lose a few years instead!
7. It Stops You From Getting Ill
If you are susceptible to the common cold, this could be the answer to all those sniffles and red noses. A study took 900 Japanese men and looked at whether they drank regularly or not, and how often they suffered from cold. The result? Those who drank one glass of wine a day caught cold less often.
Now that there are all of these reasons to try it yourself, what are you waiting for? Go have a glass of wine on us!
