Red wine, good for health?
Consider this assertion: "Red wine is good for health"
Before we look at the issue of whether red wine is good for health, or not, I want to say that I actually drink very little alcohol of any type; that's not to say that I have any particular prejudice against those who do drink it's just that I choose not to drink much alcohol.
My main focus in this article will be on how this assertion has come about and what scientific evidence is available to either back up, or to disprove, this claim.
An article on Insider.com by Canela Lopez, titled Drinking one small glass of wine a day is linked to heart problems, study finds, on Jan 13, 2021, piqued my interest.
Why did this article interest me?
Well, the answer is quite simple really; for a number of years now we have been subjected to many research findings that try to push us, first one way and then another, as to the health benefits, or not, of drinking red wine.
But why red wine in particular? Again the answer appears to be quite simple. The health consequences of drinking to excess any form of alcohol are well known and documented, but often disputed by the makers of alcoholic drinks. The health benefits however are hotly disputed.
from MedicalNewsToday: Should I drink red wine?
Drinking red wine in moderation may have certain health benefits, including boosting heart, gut, and brain health. This is because it contains compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and lipid-improving effects.
Drinking alcohol is not safe for everyone, and drinking more than a moderate amount can cause serious health problems.
from The Mayo Clinic: Red wine and resveratrol: Good for your heart?
The resveratrol in red wine comes from the skin of grapes used to make wine. Because red wine is fermented with grape skins longer than white wine, red wine contains more resveratrol.
Simply eating grapes or drinking grape juice might be a way to get resveratrol without drinking alcohol. Red and purple grape juices may have some of the same heart-healthy benefits of red wine.
Peanuts, blueberries and cranberries also contain some resveratrol. It's not yet known how beneficial eating grapes or other foods might be compared with drinking red wine when it comes to promoting heart health. The amount of resveratrol in food and red wine can vary widely.
Resveratrol supplements also are available. Researchers haven't found any harm in taking resveratrol supplements, but your body can't absorb most of the resveratrol in supplements.
OK, so evidence points to the fact that resveratrol contained in red wine may be beneficial to our health
Advice from Health agencies appears to suggest that for better health we have alcohol free days or should at least moderate alcohol intake
This from the UK National Health Service:
"men and women are advised not to drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week on a regular basis. if you drink as much as 14 units a week, it's best to spread this evenly over 3 or more days. if you're trying to reduce the amount of alcohol you drink, it's a good idea to have several alcohol-free days each week. [2]
There appears, at first sight, to be a general consensus of opinion and evidence that some ingredients in red wine, specifically, are beneficial to health; so how do we reconcile that consensus with the overwhelming evidence, presented by most of the medical establishment, that drinking alcohol is bad for us?
Let me point you to the following well-known phrase:
"Everything in moderation."
This is a proverbial saying cited as occurring from the mid 19th century; it is likely a more recent formulation of the idea contained in 'there is measure in all
things'.
The essential thought is found in the work of the Greek poet Hesiod (c.700 bc), 'observe due measure; moderation is best in all things', and of the Roman
comic dramatist Plautus (c. 250–184 bc), 'moderation in all things is the best policy'.
Bacchius, oil on canvas by Carravagio, Florence, Italy, Uffizi Gallery
Wine drinking goes back almost to the dawning of civilization. Many people will know that the western world has stories of Greek and Roman Gods. One of these is Dionysus (Greek) or
Bacchus (the Roman name).
Over many years this 'god' has been seen as a saviour to some for bringing the 'gift' of wine but a symbol of drunkenness and debauchery to others.
Wikipedia states: Wine played an important role in Greek culture, and the cult of Dionysus was the main religious focus surrounding its consumption. Wine, as well as the vines and grapes that produce it, were seen as not only a gift of the god, but a symbolic incarnation of him on earth. However, rather than being a god of drunkenness, as he was often stereotyped in the post-Classical era, the religion of Dionysus centered on the correct consumption of wine, which could ease suffering and bring joy, as well as inspire divine madness distinct from drunkenness.
Almost every civilisation has used some form of alcohol drink in some form or another, sometimes naturally occurring and sometimes 'made'. So what is it about wine that makes people want to drink it, sometimes in preference to water?
The answer to that question is complex but common schools of thought allude to the fact that even in historical times water was hard to come by, and when it was available it
wasn't always fresh or safe to drink. Access to fresh water became a bigger problem as populations increased (The transport of fresh water to needy city dwelling citizens reached
its peak in the Roman Empire).
This is where alcoholic drinks scored as the fermentation process produces the alcohol that helps to kill off bacteria in the water. Additionally, where water is boiled, as in the
brewing process for beer for example, more bacteria is killed off; so, like any boiled water, the end result is safer. The alcohol level itself is not sufficient to stop bacteria
from reproducing. ... The boiling also kills bacteria, wild yeast, and other things that could have infected the water. However, the fermentation also helps.
Everything in moderation
There are numerous studies by health and medical researchers that, in their conclusions, espouse the fact that every food is best eaten 'in moderation' as part of a balanced diet ( opens a new page ).
The key words are 'in moderation' and 'balanced'
So why does the medical profession appear to have this love-hate relationship with red wine?
First, let's have a look at how red wine is made and what it is made from. This is from winefolly.com - how is red wine made
Step 1: Grow Grapes & Harvest Them
A grapevine produces grapes after its third year. Regardless of the vine’s age, grapes only grow on stalks that are one year old. Because of this, viticulturists prune their
vineyards back every year to encourage new growth.
Grapes get harvested for wine when they are perfectly ripe. Unlike other fruits (like avocados or bananas), grapes don’t continue to ripen once they’re picked.
Step 2: Crush The Grapes
Typically, de-stemming red wine grapes reduce harsh-tasting tannin. Additionally, some wineries use sorting table conveyor belts to remove leaves or bad grapes. By the way, some
red wine varieties (like Pinot Noir) do well fermenting with whole clusters!
Grapes go into a fermentation tank with their skins, seeds, and all. Sometimes, the crushed grapes are chilled (called "cold soaking"), so flavor and color in the skins transfer into
the juice. Red wines get their deep color from their grape skins.
3: Fermenting Grape Sugar into Wine
The fermentation starts when a yeast culture grows by eating grape sugar and making alcohol. There are many different kinds of yeast variants. Some wineries let yeast happen
naturally, and we call this an "indigenous" or "native" fermentation. Others inoculate their juice with a special house yeast or purchased commercial yeast to control the flavor.
Red wines typically ferment at warmer temperatures than white wines. Also, red wines commonly ferment until all (or nearly all) the sugar is consumed. This makes red wines "dry"
(as in, not sweet).
Step 4: Fining and Racking
After the wine finishes fermenting, it's quite cloudy from the yeast lees and grape bits. So, winemakers let their wines "rest" a while in barrels or tanks and add a clarifying
agent (like bentonite – a type of clay) to glom onto dissolved proteins. A process called "fining", and it leaves the wine clear.
With all the [unwanted] proteins in the bottom of the tank, the clear wine gets "racked" (it's more like siphoning), into a fresh tank or barrel.
By the way, some winemakers avoid fining and wait for the wine to settle on its own with time.
Step 4: Filtering, Aging, and Bottling
Red wine can age from 4 weeks to 4 years (or longer!) before being bottled. Aging red wines in barrels gives them rich flavors of vanilla and baking spice from the oak.
Before wines get bottled, they're often filtered one last time. Filtering removes any small microbes that cause wine to go bad. Of course, not all wineries do this because some
believe filtering removes what makes a wine taste so great. Well-made unfiltered wines have the potential to age a long time too.
So, when you buy unfiltered wines, be sure to decant them! [Ed. - To ensure that any unwanted 'sediment' in the wine bottle is not disturbed. Sediment is not harmful, but
tastes unpleasant]
The red wine proponents
So, now we know how red wine is made, let's have a look at what wine enthusiasts claim are the benefits of drinking red wine.
Here is some information from lastbottlewines.com
Ian Monat, Marketing Director at Last Bottle Wine writes:
For those of you who don’t enjoy reading biochemistry journals, we broke down some of their findings in a language you can understand.
Protection Against Alzheimer’s:
The antioxidant resveratrol [1] shows a strong ability to protect against cell damage and curb the effects of age-related mental decline.The New Workout Plan:
While the act of raising a glass to your lips may burn a calorie or two, the real benefit comes from resveratrol yet again, which was shown to improve physical performance and muscle strength. It also shows similar cardiovascular enhancements as exercise. It should be noted that the benefits are limited, so don’t cancel your gym membership just yet.Cancer Fighting:
Researchers aren’t exactly sure how, but another active antioxidant in red wine known as works against cancer cells, according to the American Cancer Society. It helps to induce natural cell death in certain types of cancers, most often colon cancer.The Fountain of Youth:
Compared to beer and vodka drinkers, people who consume red wine have a 34 percent lower mortality rate. In this study resveratrol was credited as the compound that could be responsible for its longevity benefits. While researchers believe any diet rich in polyphenols has the ability to fight against chronic disease, red wine contains a higher concentration than most foods.A Happier Heart:
A 2015 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, shared findings on a group of 224 volunteers who were told to drink either 5oz of mineral water, dry white wine, or dry red wine for two years with dinner. Upon concluding the study, Time reports that "the red wine drinkers had significantly increased their levels of good HDL cholesterol and had a more beneficial cholesterol ratio compared to the group that drank water."Better sex life.
Red wine increases blood flow to certain, erhm, areas of the body. An Italian study showed that women who drank more than two glasses each day had a higher sex drive than abstainers, while a 2012 study showed that men who drank red wine had higher levels of testosterone, which is linked to having a high sex drive.Helps with depression.
A study of 5,505 participants showed that moderate alcohol intake was strongly associated with a lower risk of depression. Those who drank between two and seven glasses per week had the best results.
Good things in moderation
While lower cholesterol, better sex, and decreased risk of type-II diabetes all sound great, don’t assume that you can multiply that one glass by five and completely reverse the aging
process, toss your Viagra and Lipitor in the trash, and go run the Boston marathon with zero training. Most of these studies conclude that heavy alcohol consumption has its own dangers,
so it’s wise to keep things in moderation.
References
[1] WebMD: Resveratrol supplements
[2] Alcohol Misuse
