Inspirations by Emily J Weitz

??The Wine Debate
There are so many health and nutrition facts floating around popular culture that I sometimes feel like people just choose the facts that legitimize their activities. I am certainly guilty of this. I am constantly peaching that some research shows coffee is good for your heart, but I choose not to mention any information I’ve read about blood pressure. But this lovely Sunday evening, as I curled my fingers around a glass of red wine, I thought, “I really need to find out the truth about wine.” We’ve all heard that a glass every night is good for you, but there are plenty of sources that say it’s not. I find it almost too good to be true that having a glass of red wine every night is physically good for you, considering it is so clearly beneficial to your mentality (she says as she swirls the Pinot Noir in its glass, a sly grin forming on her lips).
Just as with anything else in life, there are two sides to every story. The effects of wine are no different. While it is true that there are many benefits, which I will expand upon later, there are also some negative effects of consuming alcohol on a daily basis. The average wine contains between 11 and 14% alcohol. Alcohol has toxic properties that can be damaging to the liver and brain. More than three glasses of wine can seriously impair your reflexes and your judgment. And obviously, drinking excessive amounts and then driving is extremely dangerous. So with all of the benefits, you do need to be aware of the drawbacks.
But now, let’s return to the purpose of this column: to champion the wino! Wine inhibits the growth of microorganisms in your body, and many of these microorganisms spawn disease. There has been a great deal of research worldwide that proves that drinking a moderate amount of red wine every day reduces the risk of heart attacks. Dr Serge Renaud, of the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research, explained in a paper that “wine contains phenolic compounds like reservatrol and flavonoids.” These compounds are present in grape skins, stems and seeds, and they are antioxidants. When you eat grapes, you consume the skins, but you generally don’t eat the stems or the seeds. In the winemaking process, however, the good antioxidants from the stems and seeds are still present. By consuming more antioxidants, you are improving your cholesterol. There are two kinds of cholesterol: HDL and LDL. HDL is good, and LDL is bad. The oxidation of LDL in your blood stream results in the clogging of the arteries, which can cause heart attacks. Red wine contains flavonoids that slow down this process, and beef up the good cholesterol and reduce the bad.
Another fascinating study that will serve to legitimize your affinity for wine was conducted in Copenhagen over the span of 11 years. From 1976 to 1988, over 13,000 men and women between ages 30 and 70 were tracked. It was discovered that those who drank between three and five glasses of wine every day reduced their risk fof death by a heart attack by HALF. When the results of this study were published, Danes started drinking a lot more red wine. Today, Danes drink 30% more red wine than they used to, and the instance of heart diseases in Denmark has decreased by 30% in that time. Coincidence? I think not, I say as the wine drains from my glass.
Studies have proven that the flavonoids present in red wine slow down the regeneration of harmful platelets that can cause strokes. In 1995, Dietary Guidelines for Americans stated that drinking red wine in moderation may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease among men 45 and over, and women 65 and older. In recent years, major organizations like the World Health Organization and the Center for Nutrition at the Harvard Medical School and Public Health have included red wine as a part of a healthy diet.
These facts just scrape the surface of the research that has been done on the health aspects of red wine. And why are we all so interested in it? Because having a glass of wine is a fabulous way to kick back and unwind, and we want to feel like we are taking care of ourselves even when we indulge. So, take these facts to your next dinner party and raise a glass to your health. Salud!