Every once in a while I get out some red wine and pour a glass to drink with my dinner. This is always something I enjoy, especially while eating Italian food. I realize that it isn't a good idea to drink wine all the time, however, health professionals have found that an occasional glass of wine can have health benefits.
In fact, wine has been linked to the prevention of heart disease as well as increasing the "good" fats or HDL cholesterol in the body. Red wine is thought to prevent heart disease through its antioxidant effects as well. Antioxidants as discussed in one of my previous blogs helps decrease free radicals throughout the body thus decreasing ones risk of disease.
HDL cholesterol is known to remove the "bad" cholesterol or LDL within the body.
This "good" fat is increased when drinking wine due to the antioxidant resveratrol. This has been shown to prevent damage to blood vessels. Overall, this has been shown to reduce ones risk of heart disease in part due to increased HDL cholesterol.
A breakdown of how alcohol helps the heart:
Even though there are health benefits associated with red wine it is important to consume alcohol in moderation. If too much alcohol is being consumed the negative effects will outweigh the positive ones.
So if you are like me and look forward to that glass of red wine at dinner time, you should be happy to know why it is beneficial.
*http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/red-wine/art-20048281?pg=2
*http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/hdl-cholesterol-the-good-cholesterol
In fact, wine has been linked to the prevention of heart disease as well as increasing the "good" fats or HDL cholesterol in the body. Red wine is thought to prevent heart disease through its antioxidant effects as well. Antioxidants as discussed in one of my previous blogs helps decrease free radicals throughout the body thus decreasing ones risk of disease.
HDL cholesterol is known to remove the "bad" cholesterol or LDL within the body.
This "good" fat is increased when drinking wine due to the antioxidant resveratrol. This has been shown to prevent damage to blood vessels. Overall, this has been shown to reduce ones risk of heart disease in part due to increased HDL cholesterol.
A breakdown of how alcohol helps the heart:
- Raises high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol
- Reduces the formation of blood clots
- Helps prevent artery damage caused by high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol
- Produces changes in blood pressure
Even though there are health benefits associated with red wine it is important to consume alcohol in moderation. If too much alcohol is being consumed the negative effects will outweigh the positive ones.
So if you are like me and look forward to that glass of red wine at dinner time, you should be happy to know why it is beneficial.
*http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/red-wine/art-20048281?pg=2
*http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/hdl-cholesterol-the-good-cholesterol