Pour It Up, Pour It Up: Wine Consumption Does Your Health Wonders
Seen as the drink as old as time, wine has been both used as an offering to the gods and consumed for less than religious purposes for centuries. But the naysayers that believe this drink of choice brings no real benefits to the table may want to rethink this perspective. Studies show that wine consumption just may add a few years to your life.
One of the main benefits of having the occasional glass of wine is memory retention. Health.com states, “When researchers gave memory quizzes to women in their 70s, those who drank one drink or more every day scored much better than those who drank less or not at all.”
This is due to wine reducing inflammation of blood vessels and clots, both tied to the loss of cognitive skills, such as memory. Another benefit to this is weight loss.
“Alcohol may encourage your body to burn extra calories for as long as 90 minutes after you down a glass. Beer seems to have a similar effect.” says Health. So after drinking a glass of wine, a nice walk in the park or a quick workout can lead to more burning of the calories.
“Typically I go for Chardonnay or a Pinot Grigio,” HCC student Desiree Swendsen says. That seems to be the drink of choice for those who want a sweet taste to their meals or for the end of a long stressful day. When asked about these health benefits for wine, she states, “It kind of condones drinking.”
While there are benefits to the occasional glass, there is one word, much like with many of our favorite indulgences, that must be tied to this: moderation.
No one is saying to down half a bottle of red wine and do something you will kick yourself for in the morning. But a glass of wine not only comes with a list of benefits, but it also either may loosen the drinker up or make it easier for them to go to sleep, depending on who is having the glass. This can be seen as a win-win situation because of this new extended lease on life while enjoying an indulgence you can have at the end of the day.