Is the Wine Lover’s Lifestyle Good For You?

Red wine has long been touted as beneficial for cardiovascular health (in moderation), but it turns out that the general lifestyle that wine aficionados embrace may promote optimal overall health. Let’s take a closer look at what makes the “wine lover’s lifestyle” such a healthy one.

People who enjoy wine on a regular basis consistently eat more fiber, consume less saturated fat and cholesterol, smoke less, and exercise more than other drinkers and non-drinkers. Wine drinkers are also far less likely to be overweight and may be healthier than those who prefer beer and spirits because they consume alcohol in moderation.

According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who don’t drink any alcohol at all have higher rates of death and disease . . .  not necessarily because they avoid wine and spirits, but because they tend to eat more red meat, less fruits and vegetables and because they are more likely to smoke than wine lovers.

Alcohol—whether it comes from beer, wine or spirits—raises high-density lipoproteins (HDL), the so-called good cholesterol. Alcohol is also an anticoagulant, which means a drinker's arteries are less likely to clog, and his or her blood is less likely to create clots, the principal causes of heart attacks and strokes. But wine, and red wine in particular, is accorded all sorts of additional attributes, due to its unique makeup. Wine contains polyphenols (found in the skin of red grapes), which lower the level of endothelin-1 in the blood. Endothelin-1 is a substance that causes arteries to constrict and, when too much is produced by the body, can cause arteries to clog up and harden. Polyphenols also have an antioxidant effect, which prevents cell damage.

Wine contains resveratrol, which has been shown to inhibit cancer in laboratory animals. Resveratrol is also an antioxidant, and helps decrease the stickiness of blood and inhibit inflammation, which contributes to heart disease.

The new research does not discount those benefits, but suggests other factors may be at work. Research may be suggesting that wine can work its magic largely because wine drinkers have a lot of other healthy habits such as eating their veggies, exercising and maintaining a healthy weight.

If you enjoy your wine, continuing to do so in moderation (defined as no more than one glass a day for women and two glasses a day for men) can be of great benefit to your health. And if you happen to embrace a healthier overall lifestyle as a result, you could reap even more healthy rewards!