In moderation, wine really does have health benefits, so you don’t need an excuse to indulge in a glass.
However, the kinds of benefits — and how many — depend on several factors. So, before you find just the right vintage for your meal, make sure you’re making healthy selections.
Benefits of Wine: The health benefits of wine lie in its antioxidants. These substances help protect the cells of your body from damage. In the case of wine, and red wine in particular, polyphenols may be able to help prevent cardiovascular disease by increasing the amount of high-density lipoprotein (“good cholesterol”) in your body and protecting your arteries, according to the Mayo Clinic.
It’s believed that some of these benefits could also be due to the anti-inflammatory properties of resveratrol, the primary polyphenol in red wine, although it may be another component in the wine that has these properties.
Additional research on animals suggests that resveratrol could also protect against obesity and diabetes. However, these studies have not been replicated in humans.
Wine can be high in sugar and calories, and alcohol can increase food intake at meals. While moderate consumption of wine isn’t likely to send your diet off the rails, the amount of sugar, which varies greatly, and calories in each glass is something to consider.
Let’s take a look at three key indicators of how healthy your wine is.
1. Which wines are best for antioxidants?
When it comes to antioxidants like resveratrol, not all wines are created equal. In fact, white wines are losers right off the bat when compared with reds for antioxidant concentration alone.
“Red wine has more of the polyphenols and antioxidants that are known to be heart-healthy. Specifically, the red grapes are higher in a compound called tannin,” explains Laurie Forster, author of The Wine Coach.
Paul D. Poux, a certified specialist of wine (CSW), says much of the antioxidant concentration in red wine is because of the skins and seeds. “During the fermentation process, the juice spends more time interacting with the grape skins and seeds,” he explains, which have a high concentration of polyphenols.
Winners: For tannins and heart-healthy benefits, Foster recommends a cabernet sauvignon, or Italian barolo. She also recommends pinot noir for resveratrol concentration.
When it comes to antioxidants like resveratrol, not all wines are created equal. In fact, white wines are losers right off the bat when compared with reds for antioxidant concentration alone.
“Red wine has more of the polyphenols and antioxidants that are known to be heart-healthy. Specifically, the red grapes are higher in a compound called tannin,” explains Laurie Forster, author of The Wine Coach.
Paul D. Poux, a certified specialist of wine (CSW), says much of the antioxidant concentration in red wine is because of the skins and seeds. “During the fermentation process, the juice spends more time interacting with the grape skins and seeds,” he explains, which have a high concentration of polyphenols.
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| To Your Health: Which Wine Is Better for You? |
2. Which wines have the lowest sugar content?
If sugar consumption is a concern, you’re looking for wines that have fermented longer.
“Most wines are not sweet; they are dry, which means all the sugar in the grape juice has been converted to alcohol when the grape juice ferments into wine,” explains Poux.
Forster says this process is controlled by the winemaker, who will stop the fermentation process according to how sweet he wants the wine to be. If the wine is allowed to ferment completely, all of the sugar within will be converted to alcohol.
High-sugar wines may be labelled as such, as “sweet,” “semi-sweet,” or “off-dry,” according to Poux. Dessert wines like port wines, madeiras, and some sherries and ice wines are among the sweetest, he says.
Winners: Dry wines including cabernet sauvignon, chianti, and Bordeaux for reds, and sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, and chardonnay for whites.
If sugar consumption is a concern, you’re looking for wines that have fermented longer.
“Most wines are not sweet; they are dry, which means all the sugar in the grape juice has been converted to alcohol when the grape juice ferments into wine,” explains Poux.
Forster says this process is controlled by the winemaker, who will stop the fermentation process according to how sweet he wants the wine to be. If the wine is allowed to ferment completely, all of the sugar within will be converted to alcohol.
High-sugar wines may be labelled as such, as “sweet,” “semi-sweet,” or “off-dry,” according to Poux. Dessert wines like port wines, madeiras, and some sherries and ice wines are among the sweetest, he says.
Winners: Dry wines including cabernet sauvignon, chianti, and Bordeaux for reds, and sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, and chardonnay for whites.
3. Which wines have the lowest alcohol content?
Finally, let’s look at the alcohol content. Because sugar is changed into alcohol during the fermentation process, you may have to compromise a bit here, as the driest wines (those with the least sugar) are likely to be highest in alcohol. However, this isn’t always the case.
“Whites that come from cooler climates are generally going to have lower alcohol,” says Poux. “In these areas, the grapes cannot get as ripe, which means less sugar, which means they will not create as much alcohol when they ferment.”
Poux says these wines will have low alcohol and relatively low sugar content.
Warmer climate wines, like those from grapes grown in southern California, can have as much as 15 to 16 percent alcohol. Also, fortified wines like port and sherry have spirits added to them during manufacturing, making their alcohol contents high, too.
Winners: Cool climate wines including French sauvignon blanc, Italian prosecco, and even an Oregon pinot noir.
Finally, let’s look at the alcohol content. Because sugar is changed into alcohol during the fermentation process, you may have to compromise a bit here, as the driest wines (those with the least sugar) are likely to be highest in alcohol. However, this isn’t always the case.
“Whites that come from cooler climates are generally going to have lower alcohol,” says Poux. “In these areas, the grapes cannot get as ripe, which means less sugar, which means they will not create as much alcohol when they ferment.”
Poux says these wines will have low alcohol and relatively low sugar content.
Warmer climate wines, like those from grapes grown in southern California, can have as much as 15 to 16 percent alcohol. Also, fortified wines like port and sherry have spirits added to them during manufacturing, making their alcohol contents high, too.
Winners: Cool climate wines including French sauvignon blanc, Italian prosecco, and even an Oregon pinot noir.
Final Thoughts: Wine can have considerable health benefits, in moderation. Moderate consumption of wine may be associated with health benefits, but there are also risks to drinking. Alcoholism affects an estimated 18.2 million Americans. This overconsumption of alcohol can have disastrous effects on cancer risk, heart disease, liver disease, and mental health, among other things.
Knowing where to find the most potent benefits (and potential setbacks) may make your meal pairing a little easier the next time you host friends for dinner. www.healthline.com
Knowing where to find the most potent benefits (and potential setbacks) may make your meal pairing a little easier the next time you host friends for dinner. www.healthline.com
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