Does Red Wine Really Help Us to Live Longer?
When we think about living longer, we might imagine a life of strict ‘diets’, exhausting and rigorous exercise regimes, and getting up at 6am to a health shake and hot yoga. But what if the key to living longer was in a delicious glass of red wine? It might seem too good to be true, but more and more research is suggesting a glass of red could bring more to the table than we think.
Red wine and antioxidants
Grapes are delicious little bundles of flavour, colour, and antioxidants that have been linked to an impressive list of health benefits. One of the key compound players found in grape skins is ‘resveratrol’ which has anti-inflammatory properties, may help reduce blood sugar levels, promote good cardiovascular health, and is linked to lowering blood pressure through relaxing the blood vessels (and your mind after a long day at work). In the winemaking process, red wine is usually fermented for a longer period than white wine, so the resveratrol levels in red wine are much higher making red the colour of choice.
The other potential health-boosting compounds found in grape skin and seeds are known as ‘procyanidins’ which produce the levels of acidity in wine, otherwise known as ‘tannins’ to wine buffs at cellar doors. Procyanidins have been linked to good cardiovascular and blood vessel health that may be contributors to living longer.
Red wine and stress-related ageing
Stress and aging can go hand in hand, and sometimes life can seem like an endless bombardment of stressful situations flying at you from all angles. When we have high levels of stress, the body can go into a state of long-term ‘oxidative stress’. Long-term oxidative stress happens when there is a prolonged imbalance of ‘free radicals’ in the body which are molecules produced as a byproduct in the body’s natural metabolic process that can cause inflammation and cell degeneration and may contribute to the body aging when there is an excess. The natural remedy for balancing out oxidative stress and reducing the free radicals in your body is a healthy dose of antioxidants (hello, red wine!) to help limit the effects of inflammation and protect cells from breaking down.
Red wine and the ‘Mediterranean diet’
The Mediterranean diet has long been known for its link to a long and healthy life through its abundance of fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, seafood, and a nice glass of red with lunch or dinner. Pairing red wine with a lot of the nutrient-dense foods common in the Mediterranean diet can strengthen the effect of resveratrol – the antioxidant linked to improved blood flow, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and a natural anti-inflammatory.
For centuries, red wine has been a staple part of the Mediterranean diet in good moderation.
Red wine and moderation
It’s easy to get swept up in the tantalizingly long list of pros to making red wine part of your daily health routine. But before you go out and buy a few dozen of your favourite reds, let’s look at a quick list of downfalls associated with alcohol consumption when it stops being moderate and starts becoming a risky ritual.
· It’s full of sugar and contains phytoestrogen which promotes fat storage and decreases muscle growth
· It’s a toxin your body must dedicate all its energy to processing which diverts its attention away from processing food, stopping your body from burning fat
· It’s high in calories, it can make you hungrier, and loosens your inhibitions so you’re more at risk of making poor food choices; and
· High alcohol consumption is linked to long-term health effects that will ultimately reduce your lifespan and quality of life
Red wine as a part of a healthy lifestyle could bring a lot of benefits to your table but take care not to indulge in too much of a good thing. The key to unlocking its potentially life-extending benefits is through moderation. Enjoy a glass, savor each sip, and know when to pop the top back on.
Lyndal Linkin, author of ‘To Age or Not to Age’, is a 56-year-old anti-aging expert who has spent her lifetime learning about anti-aging solutions. A successful entrepreneur, corporate leader, and mother, she uses her years of research and personal experience to explain the most effective methods so you can look and feel younger. Find out more at www.lyndallinkin.com.au or Instagram: @lyndallinkin.
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