Red wine benefits and drawbacks

When it comes to red wine, benefits and risks will always be up for debate.

If you’re scouring the web for red wine benefits, you’re probably hoping to read something that might clear your conscience when it comes to that extra glass you’d like to have. Sometimes it’s all we want after a long day’s work, but it’s easy to get caught up in the impact it might have on your health.  

For a long time there’s been a lot of back and forth on the subject of wine and its effects on the human body. Some research shows promising potential for healthy side effects, while there is also strong opposition to wine’s benefits, given that it’s still technically alcohol. Reliable information from the experts will help you make up your own mind. 

Examining the health benefits of wine

 Many of the studies that have uncovered benefits from drinking red wine and other alcoholic beverages are contingent on moderation. Too much of a good thing can be a very bad thing, and that principle most definitely applies to drinking! Some red wine benefits include:  

• • Protection from heart disease. Research has found that one drink per day can actually reduce a person’s risk of suffering from heart disease.  
     
  • Reduction of physical aging signs. The antioxidants in red wine and grapes, in addition to resveratrol, are known for slowing down the aging process.   
     
  • Allowing a person to live longer. Resveratrol is believed to also regenerate and protect tissues within the body, which can actually prolong your lifespan.  

When asked about red wine and grape juice, Dr. Mark, a Medical Expert on JustAnswer, offers his insights on the benefits of wine as it compares to the unfermented version of the drink:   

“The flavonoids in grape juices and wine have been shown to help prevent atherosclerotic disease (which causes heart attacks and strokes). So drinking either will help you to get that protective substance,” Mark says, before shifting his focus to the alcohol. “However, the alcohol in wine may confer slight additional benefits – including possible slight blood thinning, which reduces the risk of blood clots forming (and subsequent stroke and heart attacks).”  

Of course, Dr. Mark then goes on to warn against heavy alcohol use by pointing out that too much of any drink will undo any benefits, placing you at a higher risk of falling victim to a host of serious diseases.  

Understanding alcohol and sleep

It is a common misconception that drinking can help combat insomnia and general sleeplessness. This belief doesn’t come from nowhere, of course – there’s no denying that alcohol makes you tired. However, the issue lies with what happens after you’ve fallen asleep using wine or other alcoholic beverages as a sleep aid.   

Susan, a Health Expert on Justanswer, explains the interaction between alcohol and sleep: “Alcohol interferes with sleep. Although many people are under the misconception that (it) will help sleep, and it may initially help one to briefly doze off, it interferes with the restorativeness and sleep is lighter.”  

Even if alcohol helps you fall asleep, the sleep itself won’t be as restful as you’d prefer. Drinking before bed can interfere with your REM sleep, which is normally the part of your sleep cycle that restores and reinvigorates you. If you wake up and don’t feel rested, it’s a sure sign that you need to cut back on the amount of alcohol you consume before going to bed.   

Red wine, weight loss and their relationship

Drinking too much is not a good thing from a health standpoint, but is wine okay for people looking to control or lower their body weight? In general, red wine benefits those who consume it in moderation – even one glass does carry some level of risk, however.  

When asked by a customer if three glasses of wine every night could create a health or weight issue, Dr. D. Love on JustAnswer replied with an assessment of red wine, weight loss and how they don’t make for a good combination:  

“From a weight perspective, a glass of wine contains ~100 calories, which may not seem like much, but over the course of a year, one glass of wine per day is 36,500 calories, which equates to over 10 pounds. Consequently, eliminating or reducing alcohol from the diet does help with trying to achieve weight loss. It is only one of many factors, but it should help.”  

Overall, red wine benefits exceed those showcased by other alcohols, but the positives only outweigh the negatives if you take measures to drink in moderation. Drinking for the purpose of improving your health probably isn’t a good idea, but if you do choose to have a glass of red every now and then, you don’t need to feel bad about it!  

To learn more about red wine benefits and the ways you can take better care of yourself, get in touch with the verified Experts on JustAnswer today!  

Do you have any experience with red wine’s health benefits? Or do you believe the bad outweighs the good? Share in the comments below!