No matter the time or day, wine seems to be an appealing beverage to drink. We talked with two dietitians in order to gauge their opinions on if wine can actually be considered healthy; here is what they had to say about this matter.
Gallup survey data reveals that 60% of U.S. adults drink alcohol, with those who actually do indulging in an average of 3.6 cocktails every week – beer being the preferred beverage (39%), followed by wine (31%). What draws them to wine that causes them to open up, sniffing, swirling and tasting it? Perhaps it is its custom. There is something captivating and air-circulating about having wine arranged before even taking a sip! Perhaps it’s the fellowship–wine tastings, gatherings and clubs are proof that people who love wine find solace in one another’s company. Or it could just be because wine complements food so well; or perhaps someone has told you it can even help health issues! Whatever it may be for you personally–wine is great medicine.
Whatever our reasons may be for drinking it, wine has long been seen as a healthy beverage. So we dug deeper by consulting two registered dietitians on its medical benefits – here’s what they had to say about wine’s potency!
A Fast Instructions On Wine
Wine drinking for many people doesn’t go beyond buying a bottle at the store and drinking it straightaway. Thomas Vogele of Luke Columbia Valley Wines notes that winemaking is an artful balancing act governed by its environment and geography, including soil types and sun positions as crucial factors in producing reliable full grown and quality grapes for winemaking. He explains that both table grapes and wine grapes can be used to craft wine, although wine grapes tend to be better, smaller, thicker-cleaned and richer in flavor than table grapes – being prized among winemakers due to their sugar, acidity and skin.
Grapes are typically collected when their sugar levels fall between 22-25 Brix, as determined by the wine industry. Once harvested, they are crushed and stored away for maturation; during which period sulfur dioxide may also be added as necessary. Vogele notes that sulfites help settle wine, prevent oxidation and rid it of microbes or yeasts; in some instances sugars, acids or tannins may also be added for flavor enhancement or group differentiation of wine. Egg or milk products may occasionally be added to wines before packaging for additional clarity. Vogele remarks, “While there are various methods available to us for “managing” winemaking – whether in the vineyard or winery – most of us prefer not to interfere too much with any grapes we may be given the privilege of working with.
Wine Nutrition
Here is some essential data regarding one glass (5 liquid ounces) of wine:
Red wine (such as Merlot) provides approximately 122 Calories and zero Fat; Potassium amounts range between 181 mg and 617 mg with Phosphorus at 34 mg; Carbs comprise 4 G; Liquor 16 G and Sugars 1 G whereas Fiber Zero and Proteins at 1 gram as well. A single Gram of Calcium (12mg). White wines such as Chardonnay offer 175 Calories per glass with Protein Content at 2 Grams Per Gram
Calories for Breakfast = 123 at Calorie King with no Fat at All = 0 G and Potassium=104M with 3 Carbs of 3 G from Liquor (16 g, 16g of Sugars = 1G and Protein of 1 g with Calcium 13 M as the baseline value. Rose = Calories for Breakfast = 124 without Any Fat = 0 and Potassium 90 M in which 5 Carbs, no Sugars 6G are served along with 15 Grams of Liquor (16g of total carbs with 15 Grams Sugars= 1G umplut Fiber=0 umplut Sugars= 1G umplut Protein of course is this time. Calcium13 Mm = 13Mate 15MG at this level.
Recommendations
Suggestions
Wellness experts agree that drinking should be undertaken responsibly. According to the Habitats for Disease Control and Anticipation, balanced consumption would entail one beverage or less per day for women and two for men. One beverage of wine equals 5 liquid ounces. According to the 2020 Dietary Rules Warning Board of trustees, all adults should limit themselves to approximately one beverage daily, regardless of your gender and type. Furthermore, those new to drinking alcohol should refrain from starting anytime soon. But why the need for restrictions? According to Dietary Rules, this stems from health risks involved. Their latest report details evidence showing that excessive alcohol intake increases your risk for cardiovascular disease and various cancers.
Ginger Hultin, M.S., RDN of Champagne Nutrition in Seattle and author of Calming Diet Dinner Prep and How to Eat to Beat Disease Cookbook recommends that anyone under legal drinking age, pregnant or breastfeeding women and people with substance use problems should abstain from alcohol use. Since many medications interact negatively with alcohol consumption, Hultin suggests speaking to both your primary care doctor and drug specialist regarding any potential interactions that could affect you personally.
Wine Advantages
Does wine count as a health drink? Nope – as Hultin states it doesn’t fall under this category of beverage consumption, as it doesn’t provide essential macro and micro nutrients or have negative consequences on body processes.” However, wine contains bioactive mixtures which have proven cancer-protective benefits and medical advantages; let’s explore a couple here.
1. Heart Wellbeing
Wine has many health benefits that have been attributed to cancer-preventative agents found in wine grapes. These polyphenols found abundantly in grape skin may provide cardioprotective benefits, including raising HDL (high density lipoprotein cholesterol) levels and helping lower blood pressure. Polyphenolic intensifies are known to help relax blood vessels while simultaneously protecting against blood clots in your heart by decreasing and turning back development that could otherwise lead to blood clots, according to Maggie Moon, M.S., RD, Partner Vice President for Food Interchanges with The Brilliant Organization and Author of “The Psyche Diet: A Logical Way of Upgrading Mind Capacity and Preventing Alzheimer’s and Dementia.” Incorporating moderate wine consumption can increase body’s production of nitric oxide which in turn relax veins which could aid blood pressure reduction as well as help reduce with blooding pressure levels overall.
2. Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s Disease Light to regular wine use could reduce our risk of dementia as we age, according to Moon. She notes that drinking one glass a day has been associated with reduced risks of Alzheimer’s by 53% and slowing age-related intellectual decay by 7.5 years. Moon also stresses the need for moderation as drinking excessively and consistently can increase dementia risk by contracting the mind and depriving it of folate and thiamine needed by our brains.
Nonalcoholic Wine
Customers’ desire for nonalcoholic refreshments has spurred winemakers’ response by creating nonalcoholic wines. But how exactly is nonalcoholic wine created? Vogele states that nonalcoholic varieties can be created either by selecting natural product with lower sugar content and thus limiting how much alcohol will be produced during maturation, or by decreasing alcohol production within the winery itself. Add small amounts of water, use reverse assimilation (running wine through a film to remove its alcohol content) or the turning cone method, which uses radiating power to extricate liquor from wine. Nonalcoholic wine offers all of its delicious taste with none of the additional calorie intake from alcohol.
Primary Concern
Whether or not wine is healthy is an ongoing debate; while research does indicate some medical benefits from drinking wine, Hultin and Moon agree on one thing – moderation matters when it comes to consumption of any substance, including wine. Hultin notes: “[With maximum usage, there have been] adverse outcomes, however at lower admissions there’s some convincing examination about likely benefits,” while also noting that while there may be medical advantages from wine consumption alone, similar benefits can be gained through diet, rest patterns and exercise alone; thus the realisation that appreciating wine with some restraint is key!
