You probably filled your glass with grape or pomegranate juice when you were younger and pretended it was wine. When you grew up, however, you actually switched it with real red wine. Studies have shown that red wine happens to be the healthiest option out of all alcoholic drinks since it is rich in antioxidants but, it wouldn’t be fair to forget that despite being the “healthiest” option, it is still wine.
It’s time to explore the ideology behind having one glass of red wine a day – is it really healthy or just a hoax?
How is Red Wine Made?
Before jumping into the science and examining it, let’s discuss red wine itself. This beverage is produced and derived from dark-skin grapes and all the other types of grapes included in their family. These dark-skinned grapes are harvested and then pressed to be fermented inside a tank.
The magic lies in fermentation. The yeast turns the sugar present in the grape’s juice into ethanol and carbon dioxide, which are the by-products, and that is basically how you get alcohol from grapes. However, this process isn’t as smooth and quick as you might think. It requires a controlled temperature and monitored oxygen levels to create the wine, and it takes up to 3-4 years to fully ferment.
Benefits of Red Wine
Now that you know how it is made let’s talk about the benefit it holds. While red wine enjoys having a good reputation because of the fact that it is stated to be healthier than most – and this reputation did not magically appear. It is true that this wine is healthy for your heart because it contains a decent amount of resveratrol which is an antioxidant that is important for keeping the heart healthy and protected.
Red wine is also rich in polyphenolic substances – these compounds are the reason for the deep red color and the bitter flavor – which are antioxidants. A study published in the International Journal of Angiology stated that a glass of red wine holds around 200 milligrams of polyphenols compared to white wine, which contains only 30 milligrams.
So, next time you are at a restaurant, order some red wine. You are not only going to look classy but you’ll be doing your heart a favor.
Bottoms up!
