Wine and Health

 

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Wine Institute- Wine Specific Research

UC Davis- Wine & Heart Disease

Wine health labels approved

Health NewsFeed #427 WINE AND CANCER

 
Around the world, from the US, France, Japan and many other countries, have proved that wine, especially red wine, is good for your health ! Red wines raise the levels of "good" HDL cholesterol in your blood while also lowering the levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol in your blood. The result is that people who drink red wine have fewer heart attacks and strokes. Recent reports from the UK suggest wine can prevent the common cold and the American Cancer Society reported that red wine drinkers are subject to 15 -20% fewer deaths from all causes ! Of course too much wine is bad, particularly for the liver, so how much is just right ??? Most reports suggest between two to four glasses per day is ideal.

Winemakers Emporium Discussion Egroup
 

As per the wine institute in a recent article, wine-specific research has reported some special benefits for those who drink moderately. A recent study, for example, found that both red and white wine effectively wipe out bacteria responsible for food poisoning, outperforming even bismuth salicylate, the active ingredient in Pepto Bismol. Another study from a Harvard research team recently reported that wine, among a field of 21 beverages, was most strongly associated with a decreased risk for the formation of painful kidney stones. A 1990 analysis of beverage preferences and medical records of 53,000 people enrolled with the Kaiser Permanente Health Plan in California found that wine drinkers smoke less, are less likely to be overweight or to have a history of drinking problems, and are at a reduced risk for many health problems

The greatest benefit; 49 percent reduction in mortality, was associated with drinking three to five glasses of wine a day, considerably more than the one to two drinks a day generally recommended by the American health experts

As found in many other studies, the greatest benefit to wine drinkers was a decreased risk of dying of cardiovascular diseases. Another large study has highlighted the potential benefits of alcohol to health and longevity. But unlike previous studies, this on showed that only wine, not beer and hard liquor, was associated with a longer life, and that its apparent protective effect was far greater than what had been found elsewhere.

Who should not drink?

Some people should not drink alcoholic beverages at all. These include:

  • Children and adolescents.
  • Individuals of any age who cannot restrict their drinking to moderate levels. This is a special concern for recovering alcoholics and people whose family members have alcohol problems.
  • Women who are trying to conceive or who are pregnant. Major birth defects, including fetal alcohol syndrome, have been attributed to heavy drinking by the mother while pregnant. While there is no conclusive evidence that an occasional drink is harmful to the fetus or to the pregnant woman, a safe level of alcohol intake during pregnancy has not been established.
  • Individuals who plan to drive or take part in activities that require attention or skill. Most people retain some alcohol in the blood up to 2-3 hours after a single drink.
  • Individuals using prescription and over-the-counter medications. Alcohol may alter the effectiveness or toxicity of medicines. Also, some medications may increase blood alcohol levels or increase the adverse effect of alcohol on the brain.

"There are more old wine drinkers than old doctors." - German Proverb