The Health Benefits of Wine

Wine Health

There are lots of claims out there for the health benefits of wine. But, are they true or not? We tend to believe what we see advertised. What many do not know is that the FDA allows the food and beverage industry to make just about any claim they desire. Here are what some reputable and some not so reputable sources have to say.

White Wine

• Fact – WebMD says that a 5 ounce glass of wine is about 130 calories.
• Fact – The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that men consume no more than two drinks per day.
• Fact – And, the AHA recommends that women limit alcohol consumption to one drink per day.
• Fact – Also, the AHA says wine is full of antioxidants. A glass of wine, a table of friends and some fresh air are all good at reducing stress hormones and keeping you well.
• Fact – Finally, the AHA says that the antioxidant composition of European white wines is comparable to that of olive oil.
• Maybe – Research suggests that moderate consumption of alcohol may support weight loss efforts.
• Fiction – Any other claim from a winery or on a wine bottle regarding health is probably not true.
• Fiction – See the picture below from Howmanypedia. Notice that only the first one is a fact. The others are either fiction or unproven.

Health Benefits of Wine Claims

Would it not be awesome if white wine could magically prevent breast cancer, lung disease, boost the immune system and slow aging? The claims about the health benefits of wine are mostly unproven. If they are all true, hook me up to an I.V. of white and red wine mixed. LOL. It is nice to see that European white wines have the same amount of antioxidants as olive oil. I am a huge fan of European wines and recommend that you try them.

Red Wine

• Fact – The Mayo Clinic says that doctors do NOT recommend that you start drinking alcohol for heart benefits.
• Maybe – The Mayo Clinic says resveratrol MIGHT help prevent damage to blood vessels, raise HDL (the “good” cholesterol), reduce LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol) and prevent blood clots. However, studies on resveratrol are mixed.
• Fact – The Mayo Clinic says that if you like taking supplements, know that your body can NOT absorb most of the resveratrol in them.
• Fact – The Mayo Clinic says that the American Heart Association and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute do NOT recommend that you start drinking alcohol just to prevent heart disease. Alcohol can be addictive and can cause or worsen other health problems.
• Fiction – Any other claim from a winery or on a wine bottle regarding health is probably not true.
• Fiction – See the picture below from Howmanypedia. Notice that none of these are facts. They are either fiction or unproven.

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