10 Health Benefits Of Red Wine That You Probably Didn’t Know

Who doesn’t like to kick back and relax with a tall glass of red wine after a rough day at the office? Trust us — nothing is more relaxing. Luckily for us, new studies indicate that there are also numerous health benefits to our wine drinking habits. Not only does red wine taste absolutely delicious but it can also lead to a healthy mind, whiter teeth and even help to prolong your life. But there’s more; here are 10 health benefits of red wine that you probably didn’t know.

Contibutes To A Healthy Mind

Research proves that moderate consumption of red wine can lead to a healthier mind — and is especially effective in older adults. This is because the polyphenols in red wine can help to improve brain power by increasing the flows of blood and oxygen to the brain.

Additionally, research also shows a decline in brain function at a markedly faster rate in non-drinkers than in moderate drinkers. Consuming moderate amounts of wine also helps to reduce the risk of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.

Protects Your Smile

Red wine can protect your teeth from bacteria due to its antimicrobial effects. Using five common oral plaque-causing bacteria, researchers found almost complete degradation of the bacteria after applying bio-films with red wine.

Lowers Cholesteral

Red wine helps to lower cholesterol because resveratrol — the antioxidant found in grape skins — is thought to reduce LDL, which is the “bad” cholesterol. In addition it increases HDL, known as the “good cholesterol,” so that our blood vessels are less likely to be coated with plaque. Appropriate cholesterol levels are important as they decrease the risk of cardiovascular related problems.

Lowers Risk Of Heart Disease And Stroke

Reportedly, a daily dose of red wine cuts blood clot-related stroke rates by 50 percent. This is due to resveratrol which helps to remove the chemicals responsible for causing blood clots — the primary cause of coronary disease.

Red wine tannins, which give the wine its red color, contains procyanidins which are known for protecting against heart disease.

Improves The Skin

If you dream of having beautiful skin, then red wine can help you with that, too. Resveratrol helps inhibit the growth of acne-causing bacteria even longer than the popular acne medication, benzoyl peroxide. Drinking the antioxidant is more effective than applying it in a cream.

Decreases Risk Of Eye Disease

You may not know this, but red wine can also reduce your risk of eye disease thanks to resveratrol which helps to stop out-of-control blood vessel growth in the eyes. This may aid in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration as well as diabetic retinopathy.

Research shows that moderate wine drinkers are 32 percent less likely to get cataracts than non-drinkers. Wine drinkers are are also 43 percent less likely to develop cataracts than those who drink beer.

Helps With Short-Term Memory

Among the numerous benefits, red wine can also help with short term memory. A half hour of testing found that participants who took resveratrol had a significant increase in retention of words and faster performance in the section of the brain which is linked to emotions, learning and forming new memories.

Prolongs Your Life

A Finnish study published in 2007 found that drinking red wine can promote longevity. So, if you wanna live longer, you better drink up — but not too much! Wine drinkers have a 34 percent lower mortality rate than those who consumer beer or spirits.

Researchers at Harvard Medical School discovered that resveratrol increases the activity of sirtuins, a group of genes that helps to protect the body from diseases of aging.

Decreases Cancer Risk

Moderate wine consumption decreases the risk of multiple cancers, including colon cancer, cutting the risks by 45 percent. Additionally, if men drink a glass of red wine each day, it can cut their risk for prostate cancer in half, and lower the risk of Barrett’s Esophagus, the precursor to esophageal cancer by 56 percent.

Reduces The Risk Of Liver Disease

Despite alcohol being constantly linked to liver disease; new research indicates that a glass of red wine per day can actually reduce the prevalence of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Of course, it’s always about moderation.