Wine can have health benefits. As we have seen in the example of the French Paradox, wine (which should always be enjoyed in moderation) can sometime have a preventative effect and thus reduce the risk of cardiovascular illness. Because all of us love wine and value its effects on health, let’s take a look at the health benefits associated with drinking wine in moderation.
Wine can help prevent lung cancer
According to a report by the American Assocation for Cancer Research, drinking wine in moderation on a daily basis can help reduce the risk of lung cancer, thanks to an antioxydant called resveratrol which is found in red wine. Accordingly, on average, each glass of wine consumed per month reduces the risk of lung cancer by 2%, and two glasses a day are sufficiant. Of course, it is important not to have too much of a good thing…
Wine can reduce the effects of chemotherapy
Another benefit associated with wine (and a rather important one) is its ability to reduce the secondary effects of chemotherapy. Used in the treatment of cancer, chemotherapy can sometimes cause skin problems in patients. An Italian researcher proved that women with breast cancer who drank two glasses of wine per day had a considerably lower risk of skin problems than those who did not drink any wine. However, note that if more than two glasses a day are consumed the risk increases, proving the point than wine should always be enjoyed in moderation.
Organic wine does not cause headaches
Continuing with this overview of wine’s health benefits, let’s look at organic wine, which causes less headaches than conventional (traditional) wine. The reason for this is that there are less sulfites (sulphur) in organic wine. The sulphur molecule is essential as it stabilises the wine, preventing it from turning into vinegar. However, the Fédération Nationale Interprofessionnelle des Vins de l’Agriculture Biologique (French national trade body for organic wine) limits the dose of sulphur to 100 mg per litre in red wine, and 120 mg per litre in white and rosé. Roughly speaking, this represents 30% – 40% less than the levels in conventional wine making, so wine lovers can be sure they will not have a headache after drinking a few glasses of organic wine – a benefit, to be sure.
Wine can help with weight loss
Strange but true: wine can help reduce fat. According to studies carried out by MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), wine stimulates the action of a gene which prevents the formation of new fat cells. And that’s not all: wine also stimulates existing fat cells, making them disappear almost as if by magic. A word of warning, however: the effects are reversed if more than one glass of wine is consumed per day.
