Is the wine healthy?

Family Fun Food & Drink Lifestyle Mini Break

You have probably already heard about the French paradox: drinking a glass of wine daily is beneficial for our health. Let's look at the evidence.

The great scientist of the nineteenth century Louis Pasteur said that wine is the healthiest and most hygienic drink in the world, obtained from the fermentation of grape juice or grape juice. The fermentation process is produced by the metabolic action of the yeasts, which transform the sugars and acids of the fruits of the Vitis vinifera into alcohol. Miraculous, right?

In addition to water, sugars, acids and alcohol, the wine also contains other compounds from the grape, such as tannins, anthocyanins and the mysterious resveratrol. The latter is present in the skins of the grape and is a mechanism developed by the plant to protect the fruits of bacteria, fungi and UV rays. The results of several scientific studies show that this compound is beneficial for our health and well-being.

First, we must emphasize that, according to many researches, red wine is the one with the most healthy properties, especially for our cardiovascular system. It protects our heart and reduces the risk of heart attacks. The mentioned resveratrol raises the level of good Omega 3 fatty acids. This is key to protect our arteries. Because it is a fermented food, wine improves the bacterial micro flora of our intestines. This is very important. Let's not forget that the father of medicine Hippocrates said that all diseases have their origin in the stomach.

Today doctors confirm that the state of our digestive system directly influences the defense of our body and mental health. Also the consumption of red wine is related to the protection of the brain. It can prevent dementia and depression. A study by John Hopkins University School of Medicine concluded that a person who regularly consumes moderate amounts of red wine can prevent or lessen brain episodes. Other studies even relate the moderate consumption of wine with the improvement of vision (thanks to anthocyanins), gums and skin.

For example, enotherapy, so fashionable in some luxury hotels and spas, promise to protect our skin and prevent premature aging through baths and massages with wine-based products. All these studies talk about the beneficial effects of wine for our health, but also emphasize its moderate consumption. And what is moderate for you? Maybe it's not the same as for me? Scientists also answer this question: in the case of women, one drink per day, and men, two drinks. No one said that life was fair.

Everything in the universe has a side A and B (Yin Yang, as defined by Eastern philosophy). A clear side and a dark side! We do not have to lose sight of the fact that wine is an alcohol (at least, around 15% of its content). If we cross the recommended limit can cause serious complications to our health. Wine can generate addiction or alcoholism, unleashing harmful consequences, such as depression, arrhythmias, hypertension, fatty liver, cirrhosis and even several types of cancer. But do not confuse us: is it or is it not beneficial to our health?

The answer is very simple: Yes, of course, as long as it is consumed in moderate quantities. It is a matter of studying and living the French paradox or the Mediterranean diet, where wine is essential to live healthy and longer. In some localities, such as Sardinia, there are many documented cases of people over 100 years of age. The inhabitants of these regions not only seem more physically active, but happier. The key word is moderation, a fundamental virtue for Greek philosophers, a way of life where the ritual of toasts takes on the most absolute of senses: Cheers!