You may have heard a rumor that a glass of red wine is healthy, but aren’t you curious how healthy it is? We were too, so we dug around a little and found out these health benefits of our favorite drink.
- Prevents blindness
Red wine is able to stop excess blood vessel growth due to the resveratrol compound found in the wine.
- Fights off the common cold
The antioxidants in wine may keep you healthy! According to the National Institutes of heath, antioxidants can fight off infection and protect cells against the effects of free radicals.
- Anti-aging
Wine’s anti-aging properties have been discussed for one thousand years, but researchers in London recently found that procyanidins (a compound commonly found in red wine) keep the blood vessels healthy.
- Reduces risk of depression
According to a Spanish study, men and women who drank two to seven glasses of wine each week were less likely to be diagnosed with depression. Even accounting for lifestyle factors, the lower risk of depressions remained.
- Prevents dementia
A team from Loyola University Medical center found that “resveratrol reduces the stickiness of blood platelets, which helps keep the blood vessels open and flexible” maintaining a good blood supply to the brain. It is suggested, then, that moderate drinking can reduce the risk of developing dementia.
- Lowers risk of heart disease
The antioxidants in red wine help keep the blood vessels flexible while also lowering bad cholesterol.
- Improves lung function
‘An antioxidant component in red wine may be protective of lung cancer, particularly among smokers,’ according to Chun Chao, Ph.D. While giving up smoking is still the best choice, consuming red wine may reduce your risk of lung cancer.