Health Benefits Of Red Wine: Find Out What Science Is Saying About

In the past, the people of Europe, Asia, and Africa consumed wine as a medicine, as part of a healthy diet, and as a drink option, as they did not have potable water in military campaigns. Researchers are currently focused on exploring health benefits of Red Wine as a rich source of different phenolic compounds, especially resveratrol.

Simultaneously, studies suggest that moderate intake of wine can have protective effects on the body, such as:

• Helps Brain Function;
• Prevents Diabetes;
• Antiseptic and Antioxidant Agent;
• Cancer Prevention;
• Delaying Aging. 

In this article, you will learn what science is saying about the health benefits of red wine.

Penicillin cures, but wine makes people happy.

-Alexander Fleming – Scottish physician and microbiologist

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Jump To Section

1. Footprints In History: Health Benefits Of Wine
2. The Grapes Profile
3. Resveratrol: How Much Do We Know?
4. The Wine Composition
5. Health Benefits of Red Wine
6. The French Paradox Vs. Red Wines
7. How Much Is Too Much In Wine Consumption?

Footprints In History: Health Benefits Of Wine

Ancient Greek temple

Alcoholic beverages have been consumed for thousands of years to celebrate conquers, in religious rituals, or during a meeting or dinner.

Around 2200 BC, the Egyptian people already believed in the health benefits of red wine and used the drink in their medical prescriptions. 

The Greek Hippocrates (460 B.C. – 377 B.C.), considered the father of medicine, recommended the consumption of wine as medicine and part of a healthy diet. 

The Romans drank wine instead of water, believing it was healthier and safer since they lived in battles in foreign lands and, consequently, had no access to potable water.

The renowned scientist Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) declared, “Wine was the most hygienic and healthy drink.”

Although the drink’s sensations about the man in the remote times were euphoria and relaxation, without the moderation, the famous “hangover” was inevitable; however, the memories of the good times that the wine brought was the invitation for a new toast.

In the late 19th century, the view of wine as medicine began to change. Alcoholism was defined as a disease, and the harms of its indiscriminate consumption began to be studied.

As a result, evidence that wine would benefit man becomes questionable.

Even today, there is no consensus about the health benefits of red wine, but that does not mean that you should abstain and not have a glass of wine during a meal or socialize with friends.

The secret is moderation, studies say!!

The Grapes Profile

The vine is believed to have originated in the Caucasus and western Asia, and its first form of cultivation began during the Neolithic period (6000 BC).

The grapevine is a climbing plant; its branches are flexible and can be supported and carried on metal, wood, or brickwork structures. It has a twisted trunk, large leaves, and greenish flowers that later become grapes.

Grapes for making fine and table wines belong to the same Vitis family, which has different species. Among the species best known for wine production are Vitis vinifera and Vitis labrusca. Labrusca is also used for the production of juices and table grapes.

Wine grapes are smaller, sweeter, thicker skins and large seeds that occupy most of the fruit.

On the other hand, table grapes are more prominent and may have seeds or not,  thinner skin, acid, and crunchy pulp.

While grapes may seem fragile and sensitive to temperatures, pests, and diseases, berries have the absolute power of versatility.

Grapes that are used in wine production, culinary, or consumed fresh produce components that can be incredibly beneficial to health, such as polyphenols, specifically resveratrol.

Resveratrol: How Much Do We Know?

Resveratrol is part of a group of compounds called polyphenols. Studies indicate that this element can act as an antioxidant, improve our immune system, and prevent cancer and heart diseases.

Resveratrol is present in fruits such as blackberries and grapes (peel, seeds, and stems). In wines, they focus more on reds than whites, in addition to natural grape juices.

During red wine production, the maceration of the must with the skins and seeds, followed by fermentation, takes longer than in white wines.

As a result, red wines have a higher resveratrol concentration than white wines.

Red wines from Malbec, Petit Syrah, and Pinot Noir grapes have high concentrations of resveratrol. However, Malbec has the highest level, as its skin is thicker than the other grapes.

For non-alcoholic consumers, a good source of resveratrol is just eating fresh red grapes or drinking grape juice in addition to commercially available resveratrol capsules as supplements.

The Wine Composition

Wine is an alcoholic beverage from fermented juice grapes. The grapes’ yeasts convert natural sugar to alcohol (ethanol), carbon dioxide, and heat.

The one-way trip from the grapevines to the wine glass, consists of roughly:

Farming➣Winemaking➣Trading

If you already thought that you could crush and ferment other fruits to produce wine, you’re absolutely right!

After fermentation, several fruits, such as blackberries, apples, and peaches, can produce liquors. However, in legal terms, to be wine, it must be solely from grapes.

In addition, grapes are one of the oldest fruits used in winemaking through the species Vitis vinifera.

The content of a 750ml wine bottle has 800 to 1000 substances.

Some are responsible for the biological properties and sensory characteristics of the wine, such as water that corresponds to 80% of the volume, alcohol that varies between 6 to 20% of the content (ethanol), B-complex vitamins, Polyphenols with about 7mg/l in red wines, like resveratrol,  acting as preservatives for our body.

Health Benefits Of Red Wine

Studies have suggested that the phenolic compounds present in red wine exert antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardio & neuroprotective activities,  in addition to anti-diabetic and anti-cancer functions.

Resveratrol is one of these phenolic compounds that has aroused interest in scientific research on treating chronic diseases.

Cardiovascular system

Studies performed during 12 years, including more than 13000 subjects (men and women) aged from 30 to 70 years, confirmed a higher cardioprotective effect of red wine than other alcoholic beverages.

Furthermore, the risk of cardiovascular mortality steadily decreased with increasing intake of red wine, from a relative risk of 1.00 for the subjects who never drank wine to 0.51 for those who drank 3 to 5 glasses of red wine per day.

About the Cardiovascular system It’s thought that red wine:

• Raises HDL cholesterol – the “good” cholesterol;
• Helps prevent artery damage caused by high levels of LDL cholesterol – the “bad” cholesterol;
• Reduces the formation of blood clots;
• May improve the function of the layer of cells that line your blood vessels.

Blood Pressure

A study with high cardiovascular-risk individuals showed that moderate alcohol consumption, such as gin or red wine, did not influence blood pressure.

However, the polyphenols in red wine without alcohol lower the blood pressure level.

Digestive System

A recent survey of 9,733 older adults found that moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a lower infection rate of Helicobacter pylori, with a stronger association in wine than beer drinkers.

Diabetes

Concerning the effect of red wine consumption on diabetes, results of randomized clinical trials including high-risk male subjects showed that moderate consumption of red wine or dealcoholized red wine improved insulin sensitivity.

Nervous System

Resveratrol has been further studied for its increasing relevance in various neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and brain tumors.

Cancer Prevention

Despite the consumption of alcoholic beverages as a known human carcinogen, there is evidence that moderate wine consumption may decrease the risks of several cancers, including colon, basal cell carcinoma, ovarian, and prostate.

Compared to non-drinkers, women who drank wine for at least 25 years previously were 33% less likely to die and 26% less likely to experience a relapse or develop secondary cancer over the five-year period following diagnosis.

Numerous studies have shown that resveratrol can alleviate the side effects induced by chemotherapeutic drugs. In addition, in combination with other anticancer agents, resveratrol synergistically or additively enhances its effectiveness against various types of cancer.

Other Health Benefits

There is preliminary data that wine provides health benefits in other areas. For instance, red and white wines have exhibited antibacterial activity against oral streptococcus.

Moderate wine drinkers were also identified to be at a lower risk of developing age-related macular degeneration than non-drinkers.

Moreover, moderate wine consumption has been shown to benefit patients with kidney disease by preventing oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction and was associated with retention in bone density and reduced risk of developing osteoporosis in elderly women.

Polyphenols have been demonstrated as potential antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral activities. Consequently, this compound may affect the growth and metabolism of microorganisms.

Wine is an alcoholic beverage with some unique characteristics. It possesses a relatively high ethanol content in addition to other antimicrobial agents like organic acids, low pH, polyphenol compounds, and preservatives.

The French Paradox Vs. Red Wines

The French Paradox is epidemiological data from the French, who had a low incidence of coronary heart disease,  mortality, and obesity compared to the USA and UK despite a high intake of dietary cholesterol and saturated fat such as cheese, sweets, and sauces loaded in heavy cream.

However, the French Paradox is a term derived from the observation of a decreased incidence of IHD-Ischemic heart disease, despite a high intake of saturated fat.  

This is linked to France and led scientists to attribute this phenomenon to the high consumption of wine.  

Extensive research into wine led to the identification of many compounds, namely polyphenols, that are thought to be the basis of wine’s apparent cardioprotective potential. 

Red wine, among other constituents, is also included in the Mediterranean diet, and this diet has been labeled as beneficial by scientific advisory committees.

The French Paradox timeline:

1939 – Resveratrol was first isolated by Michio Takaoka from the root of Veratrum grandiflorum O. Loes.

1963 – Definition of Resveratrol as one of the chemical constituents of Polygonum cuspidatum (Ko-jo-kon), used extensively in traditional Japanese and Chinese medicine.

1976 –  Description of the first reported detection method for trans-resveratrol. 

1992 – Renaud and de Lorgeril described the “French paradox” for the first time.

The French’s eating habits prefer fresh foods and lots of wine. Also, they prepare their food in small portions, eat calmly, and prefer water to soda, unlike Americans who tend to eat processed and fast food and lots of soda.

How Much Is Too Much In Wine Consumption?

Despite several studies that have pointed out that light-to-moderate alcohol consumers have increased survival compared to abstainers, doctors do not recommend that someone start drinking more frequently to obtain such benefits since alcohol consumption is also associated with various diseases.

Some countries and the WHO have set limits on alcohol consumption as follows:

United States

The US Department of Health and Human Services published its 2015-2020 Food Guideline about moderation in alcohol consumption—up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men—and only by adults of legal drinking age.

For those who choose to drink, moderate alcohol consumption can be incorporated into the calorie limits of most healthy eating patterns.

The Dietary Guidelines do not recommend that individuals who do not drink alcohol start drinking for any reason. 

Canada

The Canadian Center for Substance Use and Addiction establishes guidelines for low-risk alcohol consumption in Canada, recommending no more than ten drinks per week for women and 15 drinks per week for men.

World Health Organization

Through its Guide to Low-Risk Drinking, the WHO recommends that alcohol consumption should not exceed 20 grams of alcohol per day, five days a week, with at least two days without alcohol. 

In addition, WHO defined what it called a “standard drink or unit of alcohol” and determined the amount of alcohol contained in different sizes of drinks (can, single shot, or glasses), as shown in the table below.

Another consideration in measuring the amount of alcohol in a standard drink is the ethanol conversion factor to convert any volume of alcohol to grams. 

For example, there are 0.79 grams of pure ethanol for each ml of ethanol.

Thus, the following formula emerged to calculate the amount of alcohol in a standard drink.

• 1 standard drink (ml) X% alcohol X 0.79 g pure ethanol (the conversion factor).  

If we take the example of the wine glass in the table above, we will have the following result:

•  140 ml of wine x 12% alcohol x 0.79 = 13.3 g of ethanol

According to the WHO, only 6.7g would be missing to complete the recommended 20g of alcohol.

However, many countries use different definitions of standard drinks due to differences in the typical portion sizes each uses.

Bottom Line

Alcoholic beverages have been consumed for thousands of years on social, personal, and religious occasions. Many ancient people, such as Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, believed that wine could bring health benefits.

Their culture and knowledge of medicine survived through the generation. Today, studies focus on preventing heart disease, diabetes, and cancer and slowing aging.

Work stress and financial or personal problems lead people to adopt the habit of drinking. However, the good news is that research results show that moderate consumption of red wine is a health booster as it contains high concentrations of polyphenols such as resveratrol.

In 1992, the French paradox sparked researchers’ interest in resveratrol. Since then, this component has been the main protagonist of studies that suggest that the substance applies antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular protection, neuroprotective, antidiabetic, and anticancer activities.

Undoubtedly, there are several reasons to toast with good red wine. How about celebrating the benefits of red wines for our health this time?

I hope this article has given you a better understanding of the health benefits of red wine. To learn more about wines, take a look at Cabernet Sauvignon’s “The Queen Of Red Grapes.”

Source

1. Soto, Lana. Red Wine Consumption and Health. New York: Nova Science Publishers, 2016.

2. Mayo Clinic. Red wine and resveratrol: Good for your heart? Mayo Clinic. [Online] 22 de October de 2019. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/red-wine/art-20048281.

3. Pierre-Louis Teissedre, Creina Stockley, Mladen Boban, Jean-Claude Ruf, Marta Ortiz Alba, Philippe Gambert, Markus Flesh. The effects of wine consumption on cardiovascular disease and associated risk factors: a narrative review. OENO One, vine, and wine open access journal. [Online] 29 de March de 2018. https://oeno-one.eu/article/view/2129#.

4. Peeters, Arthur S. Wine: Types, Production, and Health. New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc., 2012.

5. Terezia Kiskova, Peter Kubatka, Dietrich Büsselberg and Monika Kassayova. Biomolecules. The Plant-Derived Compound Resveratrol in Brain Cancer: A Review. 2020.

6. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Dietary Guidelines For Americans 2015-2020. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. [Online] 2015. https://health.gov/our-work/food-nutrition/2015-2020-dietary-guidelines/guidelines/.

7. Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction. Canada’s Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines. Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction. [Online] 2018. https://www.ccsa.ca/canadas-low-risk-alcohol-drinking-guidelines-brochure.

8. Thomas F. Babor, John C. Higgins-Biddle. Brief Intervention For Hazardous and Harmful Drinking A Manual for Use in Primary Care. World Health Organization Department of Mental Health and Substance Dependence. [Online] 2001. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/67210/WHO_MSD_MSB_01.6b.pdf?sequence=1.

9. Sohaib Haseeb, Bryce Alexander, and Adrian Baranchuk. Wine and Cardiovascular Health A Comprehensive Review. American Heart Association. [Online] 10 de October de 2017. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.117.030387.10. Nicoletti, M. A. Polifenóis no Vinho: Resveratrol e seus Benefícios. Infarma Ciências Farmacêuticas. 09 de Novembro de 2016.

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I hope this article has given you a better understanding of the health benefits of red wine. To learn more about wines, take a look at Cabernet Sauvignon “The Queen Of Red Grapes.”

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