Drinking red wine is beneficial and heart healthy for you.
Drinking even small amounts may increase the risk of breast cancer in women.
What is important about red wine is the color, which comes from the skin of the grape. Resveratrol, which is an antioxidant, is concentrated in the skin of the grape. Studies in the past have shown that large amounts of resveratrol can reduce diabetes, heart disease, blood pressure and fatty liver; and is a secret to longevity. Resveratrol found in red wine also has been shown to protect artery walls and boost HDL, the good cholesterol.
But is red wine really the toast of the town when it comes to health paybacks? The answer is yes and no. While properties in red wine do help prevent heart disease and some cancers, and reduce inflammation caused by arthritis, these benefits aren’t unique to red wine. There’s nothing special in red wine that you couldn’t obtain in other foods that are antioxidant rich, for example, red grapes, grape juice, grape seed oil, deep green vegetables, melon, pumpkin, squash, blueberries, and peppers are just some of the other sources of antioxidants similar to the ones found in red wine.
For those women who favor white wine and other types of alcohol, none of those drinks have nearly the same benefits as red wine because the antioxidants are found in the skin and seeds of the grapes, which are left on for a longer period during the wine making process. White wine is fermented without the skins of the grapes.
The bottom of line: Drinking alcohol can have negative effects that include weight gain and addiction problems. Excessive drinking can also cause your LDL cholesterol levels to rise. Alcohol, including red wine, has also been shown to increase estrogen levels in women, and, thus there is an association between high alcohol intake and breast cancer.
