Red wine has been consumed by people for many centuries now, and in the last century, it has been identified that an element in red wine called resveratrol is good for heart health. In this article, we will try to explore some real facts about it.
As researchers have shown, it is true that red wine, when consumed in moderation, has some heart health benefits. Along with it, the alcohol content and certain elements in red wine known as antioxidants can help prevent CAD (coronary artery diseases), which is a condition leading to heart attacks and heart failure.
Red wine and heart health
Any known link between consumption of red wine and a lower risk of heart attack is not fully understood. However, the major part of the benefits may be related to the antioxidants, which may increase the levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL and good cholesterol). It can also protect against bad cholesterol build-up.
While this news about red wine benefits may sound great to some wine enthusiasts, there are differences of opinion among doctors in terms of drinking alcohol and potential abuse. Even though consumption of a limited glass of wine along with dinner seems to be ideal, it may ultimately grow into an abuse especially if you have a family history of addictive behavior. Too much alcohol consumption regularly can have very harmful effects on your health.
Even though this is the case, a handful of doctors agree to the fact that red wine, overall, appears to help heart health. The antioxidants, flavonoids and resveratrol present in red wines available at Sokolin Wines all have significant heart-healthy benefits.
Why is red wine good for the heart?
Even though red wine has some heart health benefits, it is not better than consuming beer, white wine, or any other liquor. There is no clear-cut evidence as to how red wine is better for heart health than any other form of alcohol in terms of heart health. So, there is no evidential proof that red wine can always be good for health in all cases. However, the antioxidants present in red wine, such as polyphenols, are found to have a significant positive impact in lining the blood vessels and protecting them. Polyphenol, known as resveratrol, is a major subject in red wine, which has gotten significant attention in this regard.
Resveratrol
Resveratrol is a vital ingredient in red wines, which helps to prevent damages in blood vessels in the human heart. It can help reduce the low-density lipoprotein (LDL), which is the bad cholesterol, which ultimately prevents any blood clots. Some studies have shown that resveratrol can control low-risk blood clotting and inflammation, which may further lead to heart diseases. On the contrary, there are some other studies which show that resveratrol has no role in preventing any heart disease. There may be a need for more research in this regard to identify the actual impact of resveratrol in heart disease.
Resveratrol in grape skin and other supplements
Resveratrol content in red wine primarily comes from grape skin, which is used to prepare wine. Red wine is fermented from the skin of the grapes and so compared to white wine, red wine has more resveratrol content. On the other hand, simply eating grapes or drinking grape juice with the skin included may be one effective way to gain resveratrol than drinking alcohol. The red and purple juices may also have similar heart-healthy benefits as red wine.
Some other food items which also contain resveratrol are blueberries, peanuts, and cranberries. Although there is no conclusive data, there have been a few studies on the effectiveness of drinking red wine over the benefits of eating grapes or other food items containing resveratrol in terms of heart health. However, it is a fact that the volume of resveratrol in red wine and other food items may vary widely.
