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10 Health Benefits of Red Wine
Not everyone chooses to drink alcohol, but those who do are
probably smart to choose red wine. Every year, the research on the health
benefits of red wine piles up. Wine has always been a staple in the human diet.
In fact, scientists have documented red wine as far back as 5400 B.C.
Here are ten reasons to drink red wine (in moderation of
course!)
Sleep
New research shows that red wine, especially Cabernet
Sauvignon, Chianti, and Merlot, contains melatonin. Melatonin regulates the
body clock, so drinking a glass of red wine before bed may help you sleep.
Melatonin is also an anti-oxidant, which means it also has anti-aging and
cancer preventative properties.
Longevity
A compound in red wine called resveratrol has been shown to
increase lifespan in animal studies.
Brain Health
Resveratrol has been shown to protect against Alzheimer's
disease and dementia.
Heart Health
Red wine has been shown to reduce the risk of heart and
cardiovascular disease thanks to the resveratrol and other anti-oxidants it
contains.
Lung Cancer
Researchers from the University of Santiago de Compostela in
Spain found that each glass of red wine per day reduced the risk of lung cancer
by 13%.
Prostate Cancer Four or more glasses of red wine per week
has been shown to reduce men's overall risk of prostate cancer by 50% and the
risk of the most aggressive forms of prostate cancer by 60%.
Breast Cancer
Moderate consumption of red wine is believed to lower the
risk of breast cancer. However, drinking more than 1 or 2 alcoholic drinks per
day appears to increase the risk of breast cancer in women, so moderation is
key.
Colds
Researchers in Spain found that people who drank more than
two glasses of red wine per day have 44% fewer colds than people who abstained.
Inflammation
Resveratrol has been shown to have anti-inflammatory
properties, which helps overall physical health since many diseases and
ailments can be attributed to inflammation.
Cholesterol
Resveratrol has been found in studies to lower LDL
cholesterol, while another ingredient in red wine, saponins, also have
cholesterol lowering properties.
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