Red Wine: The Key to a Long Life?

When you travel to places like France and Italy, you find that the streets are full of very elderly locals sitting outside cafés and bars, slowly drinking a glass or two of wine. You might wonder why they’re doing such an unhealthy habit in their old age.

You might be surprised to learn that some of the countries with the highest per capita wine consumption in the world also have some of the highest life expectancies, such as Italy, France & Spain. Part of the reason for this could be the health benefits of small amounts of wine.

Red wine, in moderation, has long been thought of in the Mediterranean as healthy. The alcohol and certain substances in red wine called antioxidants may help prevent coronary artery disease, the condition that leads to heart attacks. And there’s lots of science to back it up.

In red wine in particular, the high levels of antioxidants may increase levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol) and protect against cholesterol buildup in the body, which can cause your arteries to harden and become clogged.

Certain antioxidants called polyphenols may help protect the lining of blood vessels in the heart. A polyphenol called resveratrol is one substance in red wine that's received some attention in recent years for its studies health benefits.

Reservatrol can prevent damage to blood vessels, reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) and prevent blood clots. While studies have shown that it can have these benefits, more research is needed to ensure universal agreement.

The resveratrol in red wine comes from the skin of grapes used to make wine. Because red wine is fermented with contact between the grape skins and liquid for longer than white wine, red wine contains more resveratrol.

There have also been some recent studies that point towards red wine also being good for your gut. This is because certain polyphenols may also act as probiotics, which are compounds that boost healthy gut bacteria. More research is needed on this point however.

Additionally, one 2015 study has shown that drinking a glass of red wine with dinner modestly decreases cardiometabolic risk in people with type 2 diabetes, as the ethanol in wine plays a crucial role in metabolising glucose. Again, however, more research is needed.

As with all alcohol, however, too much of it can pose problems, however if consumed in moderation red wine can undoubtedly have some benefits for your health, not to mention the fact that it is just a downright beautiful drink anyway!