|
Can red wine make you live longer? |
|
|
Written by DJ Spiess
|
|
Monday, 13 August 2007 |
|
Page 3 of 4
Body
Are there any other benefits to drinking? Researchers Klatsky and Friedman conducted a study in Northern California that followed 128,934 adults from 1978-1990 and found that people who had one or two alcoholic drinks per day had a 32% lower risk of dying from Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) than nondrinkers. The reason is that one drink a day for women, or two drinks for men raise the levels of good (HDL) cholesterol.
Red wine is assumed to be even better with its contribution of antioxidants. Oxidizing is "rusting". Your heart, veins, kidneys, etc are all exposed to oxygen and oxidation. Antioxidants preserve your internal "plumbing" by preventing "rusting". Red wine is full of antioxidants, which help your internal systems.Red wine can even be good for the brain. A study of 1,709 older people in Copenhagen found that "occasional" red wine drinkers were 50 per cent less likely to develop dementia, including Alzheimer's. "It could mean that substances in wine reduce the occurrence of dementia," concluded Dr Thomas Truelsen in The Quarterly Review of Alcohol Research. Again it sounds like red wine is the cure for everything! Everyone should start drinking large amounts of red wine. The reality is that these numbers are based on the one or two drink rule. One serving of wine is defined as 5 ounces. Any more than the two drink limit, and your health benefits from the alcohol diminish. Excessive alcohol consumption has many downsides beyond the next day hangover. Larger amounts of alcohol are shown to cause raised blood pressure, potential damage to the heart, liver, kidneys and brain. Overconsumption of alcohol can also cause impotence and infertility. Large amounts of alcohol will also cause you to gain weight from the higher caloric intake (although some studies have shown small amounts may actually have the reverse effect). A common myth about wine is that it will not give you a "beer gut". One glass of wine has about 130 calories. One 12 ounce beer has about 150 calories. Sweeter wines or higher alcoholic beverages contain even more calories. Ounce to ounce, wine has far more calories than beer. Larger amounts of wine mean more calories, and a "wine gut". Like resveratrol, check the dosage before you assume the health benefits.
|
