Do you know what a glass of wine contains? Have you ever wondered what health benefits it includes?
Numerous studies have shown that drinking one to two glasses of wine per day can have a positive impact on our health. We can thank the polyphenol antioxidants for this. Polyphenols represent a structural class of chemicals, i.e. a very valuable component of grape chemical composition due to its abundance and diversity.
Let’s see what each component has to offer and the influence it has on the human body.
Polyphenols
The overall concentration of phenols in wine is lower than in grapes. By taking the traditional approach to grape processing, a maximum value of 60% of phenolic content can be extracted.
In general, black grapes have a high phenolic concentration compared to white grapes. Therefore, a glass of red wine is ”healthier” than its white counterpart.
Thanks to polyphenols, wine is considered a food product with anti bactericidal, antioxidant and antivirus effects which in turn help prevent the onset of cardiovascular diseases. Many phenolic composites (flavonoids, quercetins, catechin and antocianins) have beneficial antioxidant effects and help fight off heart diseases.
Resveratrol
The antioxidant in red wine that received a great deal of attention is resveratrol. A study in fruit flies that live for approximately 30 days proved that resveratrol extended their life span by 10 days. By analysing wine, scientists continue to find new, interesting and healthy ingredients.
Moreover, it seems that resveratrol has a lot of pharmacological properties – it is an organic fungicide, prevents herpesviruse replication, tumour tissue growth and osteoporosis. Since it is also a phytoestrogen, physicians advise women to drink red wine instead of taking hormone therapy. Recent studies have shown that resveratrol significantly extends the life span of fungi and fruit flies.
Tannins
One of the characteristics of tannins is to help with the digestive process and constipation by causing the smooth muscles that line the digestive tract to contract. They also have antibacterial and antivirus properties.
Wine can be a valuable ally in battling anaemia. Red wines are usually recommended because they contain up to 10 mg of iron per litre, and also, B12 vitamin that helps bind iron and create new red blood cells. That is what makes the symptoms of anaemia, like fatigue, dizziness, weakness, trouble concentrating etc., easier to handle.
Keep in mind that, as with anything else, you should know your limit when drinking wine. It is believed that men reach theirs with the second glass of wine in a day (1 glass = 1.5 dcl) whereas for women, it is a single glass. Drinking more than three glasses of wine a day is not good for you. On the contrary, it can have a negative impact on your liver and nerve cells, and increase blood fat levels.
You probably have a better understanding of toasts now and why we say ‘Here’s to your health’. So make sure you don’t forget to take your daily dose of health.
P. Mimica