Home Food 6 Health Advantages and Disadvantages of Drinking Wine

6 Health Advantages and Disadvantages of Drinking Wine

There’s nothing quite like settling down with a nice glass of your favourite wine after a long day of work. Wine is also nice to enjoy on the patio during the summer, at barbeques with friends, or at your local bar.

Did you know there are a whole bunch of advantages tied to drinking wine in particular? This may come as a surprise, but wine (in moderation) can actually be good for you! Of course, there are also some disadvantages of drinking wine.

We’ll get into some of the advantages and disadvantages of wine here. The next time you have a dinner party or go out for drinks with your girlfriends or colleagues, you will have some interesting information to share with them. There will definitely be no shortage of conversation!

Impress your friends with your knowledge about the different advantages and disadvantages of drinking wine:

1. Promotes Heart Health

There are many advantages and disadvantages of drinking wine. One of the most common advantage is that it promotes heart health. The antioxidants in red wine are thought to help prevent coronary artery disease. This is the condition that often leads to heart attacks.

Polyphenols, the antioxidants found in red wine, are thought to help protect the lining of blood vessels in your heart.

It is thought that these antioxidants may also increase levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol) and protect against cholesterol buildup.

2. Increases Your Lifespan

A powerful antioxidant called resveratrol is also found in wine, particularly red wine. Resveratrol is usually found in the skin of the grapes and in red grape juice.

Antioxidants are known to prevent or slow damage to cells caused by free radicals, which are unstable molecules that the body produces as a reaction to environmental and other factors.

Many studies have shown that resveratrol promotes health and longevity by increasing the activity of a protein called sirtuins. Sirtuins are a family of proteins that regulate cellular health and are responsible for protecting the body against diseases that come with aging.

Other studies have shown that consuming wine leads to health benefits that lead to a longer lifespan.

3. Fights Inflammation

If you suffer from any sort of inflammatory condition, drinking wine may help since wine contains compounds that have anti-inflammatory properties.

Ongoing inflammation in the body can contribute to several harmful diseases such as heart disease, autoimmune disorders, and even certain types of cancers.

In addition to drinking wine to fight inflammation, you can also do this by eating the right diet, exercising, and reducing the amount of stress you experience.

4. Disrupts Your Sleep Schedule

Do you ever notice that if you have some drinks before bed your sleep is not as restful? That’s because wine, red wine in particular, disrupts your sleep schedule.

Drinking alcohol before going to bed is linked with more slow-wave sleep patterns called delta activity. Delta activity is the deep sleep that allows for memory formation and learning.

Another type of brain pattern called alpha activity is also turned on. This is the kind of activity that happens when you’re quietly resting, rather than sleeping. Together, these two sleep patterns inhibit restorative sleep, making you feel less rested and refreshed after sleeping the night.

Drinking wine before bed can also interrupt your circadian rhythm. You may notice that you fall asleep more quickly after drinking wine before bed, but you’ll also notice that you wake more during the night. If you have work the next day or need to be your best, it’s advised to cut out the wine before bed.

5. Increases Risk of Depression

Many studies have found that heavy drinkers are at a much higher risk of developing depression than moderate or non-drinkers.

Other studies have found that abusing alcohol puts you at a much greater risk of developing depression than that of someone who is not abusing alcohol. This goes both ways: alcohol abuse can lead to depression and depression can also induce alcohol abuse.

Like everything else in life that you enjoy, it’s imperative that you only drink in moderation and avoid heavy alcohol use.

6. Leads to Liver Cirrhosis

Heavy use of alcohol can also lead to liver cirrhosis. When more then 30 grams of alcohol (which is roughly about 2–3 glasses of wine) are consumed every day, the risk of developing liver disease increases.

Alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD) is caused by damage to the liver from years of excessive drinking, not just weeks or months. After years of heavy alcohol use, the liver becomes swollen and inflamed. This type of damage to the liver can also cause scarring, which is known as liver cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is the final stage of liver disease and is life threatening.

Now you know not only the disadvantages of drinking wine, but you know some interesting advantages. While studies have shown these positive benefits of drinking wine, remember that there can always be too much of a good thing so be sure to drink in moderation.