Health Benefits of Wine
Written By: Brian Freedman on Mon, Jul 13th 2009
It's become common knowledge that wine consumption, within reason, is good for you. And not just the tastebud parts either: Recent studies - this phrase always sounds like it's about to precede a TV ad for athlete's foot cream, doesn't it? - have shown that, especially when it comes to red wine, moderate consumption can increase the health of your gums, offset some of the effects of aging, and even make your slam-dunk technique better. (Okay, maybe not that part).
And the findings just keep on rolling in: Every week, it seems, some scientist somewhere in the world has discovered yet another benefit of wine consumption. Of couse, for all the diversity of these findings, there are two major threads tying them all together. First, there's resveratrol, that magical compound found in the skins of grapes that can offset the negative effects of all sort of lifestyle sins. And second, there's the context in which the wine is enjoyed: Studies suggest that wine enjoyed as part of a leisurely meal, and imbibed slowly, has more positive effects than if it were consumed in another way.
Of course, more papers will be published and more theories will be posted in the coming years and decades, but one thing will likely remain constant: The conviction that wine is healthy for you - especially red, and especially at mealtime.
That's worth raising a glass to.
