Red wine, in moderation, has long been thought of as heart healthy. The alcohol and certain substances in red wine called antioxidants may help prevent coronary artery disease, the condition that leads to heart attacks.
Pinot Noir is perhaps one of the most popular red wines on the market. It also happens to be the most beneficial to heart health out of all options on the list. This is because it offers the highest concentration of resveratrol.
Is red wine good for your heart and blood pressure? In an effort to explain why moderate drinkers had a lower risk of heart disease, even when compared to non-drinkers, some researchers suggested that compounds found in red wine could have an antioxidant effect and protect against disease.
Red Wine Basics
Many nutrition experts believe red wine in moderation can promote good cholesterol, healthy blood pressure, and overall heart health. There is strong epidemiological evidence that alcohol consumed in moderation reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease (1).
How much red wine is good for your heart. In order to receive the heart health benefits of red wine, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends no more than one drink a day for women and two a day for men. For reference, one drink is equal to five ounces, or 140ml of wine.
"What is certain about wine and other types of alcohol is that drinking beyond moderation has clear impacts on a person's health," warns Dr. Septimus. "Regularly drinking more wine than recommended increases a person's risk of developing cancer, liver disease, chronic pancreatitis, sleep disorders and more."
Water is the drink of choice for heart health. If you're thirsty, drink water. When the weather is warm or we're exercising, our bodies need more water than usual. Unflavoured milk, tea and coffee can be enjoyed in moderation.
Red wine, in moderation, has long been thought of as heart healthy. The alcohol and certain substances in red wine called antioxidants may help prevent coronary artery disease, the condition that leads to heart attacks.
Pinot Noir is regarded as the healthiest red wine available. Pinot grapes have thin skin, hence Pinot Noir has low tannins but high resveratrol levels, unlike many of the reds on this list.
In moderate amounts, red wine is commonly linked to healthy cholesterol levels. But drinking more hard liquor, beer, mixed drinks, and excess red wine has a negative impact on your cholesterol levels.
Federal guidelines and the American Heart Association recommend that if you do drink alcohol, to do so in moderation. That means no more than one to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women.
A study from the University of Milan found that drinking a glass of wine before bed can help you fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly. The study participants who drank wine before bed reported better quality of sleep than those who did not drink wine.
Larger amounts can cause blackouts, drowsiness, trouble walking, vomiting, and other serious problems. Drinking large amounts of wine long-term can cause many serious health problems including dependence, liver problems, and certain types of cancer.
Red wine. Red wine contains a compound called resveratrol, which has been found to have both anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.
Myth: Red wine lowers blood pressure.
Fact: There's no definitive evidence that red wine lowers blood pressure. In fact, alcohol actually raises blood pressure.
Drinking a bottle of wine a day may rapidly increase the likelihood of physical and chemical alcohol addiction developing. Drinking a bottle per day equates to approximately 9 units per day or 63 units per week, far in excess of UK NHS recommended guidelines (14 units per week)[1].
A Healthy Wine
Some sources of resveratrol include the red grape and red wine. Shiraz grape variety is known to contain flavonoids, resveratrol, and quercetin. Flavonoids contains health benefits like reducing risk of heart disease, preventing cancer, preventing strokes and as acts as neuroprotective.
When consumed in small amounts, red wine can be considered a superfood that provides powerful antioxidants that heal the body at a cellular level, like quercetin and resveratrol. That's why the benefits of red wine are so plentiful when you consume it in moderation.
Pinot Noir is rated as the healthiest wine because of the high levels of resveratrol. It is made of grapes with thin skin, has low sugar, fewer calories, and low alcohol content. Sagrantino made in Italy contains the highest concentration of antioxidants and is packed with tannins.
According to a recent study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, red wine contains micronutrients called polyphenols that reduce the amount of plaque-causing bacteria that can lead to cavities and gum disease.
Plaque formation may be further hindered by the phenolic substances in red wine that possess antioxidant properties. Studies in rabbits, hamsters, and mice suggest that the antioxidant properties of wine limit early atherosclerotic plaque formation and progression.
Malbec. As an especially thick-skinned variety, Malbec claims higher antioxidant levels than other red wines especially in terms of resveratrol. This variety has two to four times the amount of anti-inflammatory, health boosting antioxidants than other popular red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.