Dine and wine like the French, so they say. In my last trip to France, I can’t even remember how much red wine I have consumed!  I was drinking like there’s no tomorrow and I enjoyed every sip. I even went on trips to vineyards and got to sample the different kinds of red wine. I liked Cabernet Sauvignon the best. The reason for my recent liking to red wine is also the reason why the French has a low risk for heart diseases, their daily wine drinking.

As a woman who takes great care of her health, you might wonder why I am drinking red wine. First off, I don’t drink every day. Second, if I do drink, it’s in moderation and on occasions where I socialize with friends. Nothing beats having a glass of red wine during dinner parties. Plus I get to enjoy the benefits.

What does red wine have?

If you look at the nutritional value, you will see that 1 serving or 147g will give you 125 calories and 0.1g of protein. The rule of thumb is to keep any snack item that you eat at 125 calories, as you need 35 minutes of walking time to burn it. Drinking one serving of red wine is equal to eating 1 and a half boiled eggs, or 2/3 of a plain donut. There is not much there when you look at it from the nutritional value labels, but what do our health experts say about it?

That thing called Flavanoids

There are three reasons why drinking red wine decreases the risk of heart diseases. Flavonoids, which are antioxidants found in the skin and seeds of red grapes, are used in making wine. Flavonoids reduce your bad cholesterol in the body and increase good cholesterol. It also decreases blood clotting that can lead to stroke. With these health benefits, wouldn’t you want to consume red wine? It is highly advised that you consume one serving daily, or five ounces of red wine to get the maximum benefits of this drink.

Resveratrol, anyone?

Not only does red wine have antioxidants, but it also has resveratrol. This is believed to inhibit tumor development, making red wine anti-cancer. Resveratrol also aids in nerve cell formation. This is why people, who drink red wine, are said to have a reduced risk of mental decline. Red wine seems to help boost brainpower if taken in moderation.

Which kind of red wine, then?

The dryer the red wine, the more antioxidants it contains. The sweeter red wine contains lesser flavonoids and resveratrol. You should be drinking Cabernet Sauvignon as this has the highest antioxidant content, next is Petit Syrah and then Pinot Noir.

The key to getting these health benefits from red wine will be to drink it in moderation. Like what I have said, one serving daily, which is 5 ounces  for females and 10 ounces for males, will be beneficial. Here is a video explaining how red wine is able to produce these health benefits:

So the next time you would like to have a drink, take one glass of  Cabernet Sauvignon!