This follows a wealth of scientific research into the health benefits of red wine, which in moderate amounts can help lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia and stroke.
Moderate drinkers are 30% more likely than teetotalers to survive a heart attack, whatever their tipple, and they have better overall health and wellbeing, including increased mental alertness in older age and fewer colds. One reason may be that alcohol intake within safe limits helps alleviate stress, on of the biggest contributors to ill health. It's not just the booze that can help turn your favorite tipple into a medicinal draft. Some non-alcoholic mixers can offer health benefits, too.
Men should not exceedthree to four units a day and women should not exceed two to threeunits a day.
Here's a guide to what your favorite drink can do for you, and why.
RED WINE
BENEFITS: Fights cancer, raises good cholesterol, boosts brain power,helps insomnia and protects against hearing and tooth decay.
The health benefits of red wine are down to resveratrol, a plantchemical in the skins and pips of grapes. Salicylate, an antioxidantin red wine, can help to prevent deafness by protecting the tiny hairsin the inner ear that are vital for hearing.It can also sharpen your wits, says Dr Clinton Wright, professor ofneurology at Columbia University, New York, who found moderate redwine drinkers score higher in mental agility tests than teetotalers.A team of U.S. researchers discovered that chemicals in the seeds andskins of grapes blocked the ability of corrosive bacteria to bind withtooth enamel, protecting teeth from decay.Red wine can also help insomnia, according to the University of Milan .Grape skins contain melatonin, a hormone that keeps body clocks incheck and induces sleep.
Women put on less weight if they stick to red winerather than soft drinks or other beveragesThe health benefits of red wine have long been a consolation to thosewho enjoy an occasional glass or two. But the news has got evenbetter.A study has shown that moderate women drinkers put on less weight thanthose who stick to soft drinks - and those who drank red wine put onthe least weight. The findings by Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Bostonsuggest drinkers turn the calories into heat, not fat.
GOOD FOR: Protecting against heart disease and dementia
A wealth of medical research demonstrates that if you have 200ml to 400ml (a glass or two) of red wine each day, and may helpto guard against adult-onset diabetes, stroke, osteoporosis and Alzheimer's disease.Also, the flavonoids in red wine act as antioxidants (mopping up destructive chemicals called free radicals) and are beneficial to blood flow. If red wine isn't your thing, similar effects may be obtained from a diet rich in fruits and fresh vegetables.
BEER
BENEFITS: Contains vitamins and minerals needed to protect the heartand bones, plus fibre.
A pint of ale contains more than a quarter of an adult’s recommendeddaily dose of vitamin B folate, which stops the build-up ofhomocysteine, linked to heart attacks.Beer also contains boron, another trace mineral needed to maintainhealthy bones. A pint supplies a tenth of the recommended dailyallowance of niacin, which is needed to help release energy from food,as well as 10 per cent of an adult’s daily fibre needs.A pint a day reduces the risk of kidney stones by up to 40 per centbecause beer is low in calcium and high in magnesium - key factors inavoiding stone formation.Like red wine, one beer a day cuts the risk of heart disease andstrokes, thanks to its antioxidants.But does it give you a beer belly? Martin Bobak, an epidemiologist atUniversity College London, compared 2,000 beer drinkers with non-drinkers. There was little difference in their waist-hip ratios.
GOOD FOR: Bones
New research suggests drinking beer is good way to help ensure strong and healthy bones.
Recent research at King's College and St Thomas's Hospital in London found an individual's intake of the mineral silicon is directly linked to bone strength.As beer is one of the richest sources of silicon, a pint a day (supplying 20% of the average daily intake of silicon) may be one of the most effective ways for young people to help keep their bones strong and protect against osteoporosis.
In post-menopausal women, the beneficial effects of higher silicon appear to be lost.Beer also supplies boron, another trace mineral found in healthy bone, and a pint supplies about a tent of the recommended daily allowance of niacin, which boosts energy. Low-alcohol beers are just as good for you nutritionally.
GIN
BENEFITS: Anti-inflammatory, diuretic
Gin is a distilled form of pure alcohol with few chemical congeners -or impurities - to give you a hangover.It is flavored with juniper, a berry known for its diureticproperties and used in herbal medicine to treat kidney and bladderstones, and bloating.Juniper has anti-inflammatory properties that help relieve arthritis,rheumatism and gout.
GOOD FOR: Preventing water retention
The juniper berries which flavor gin were originally a herbal remedy for diseases of kidneys and liver. They have a diuretic action, so a gin is even more likely to make you pass water than other alcohol.
Because of this, gin may offer a short-term solution to the bloating that some women experience in the run-up to their period, though this hasn't been proved scientifically. The downside is gin is devoid of vitamins, minerals or antioxidants.
WHITE WINE
BENEFITS: Lowers cholesterol; benefits lungs; anti-inflammatory
The grape flesh used in white wine contains the chemicals tyrosol andhydroxytyrosol, which lower artery-clogging LDL cholesterol.When drunk moderately, white wine may help keep lungs healthy over alifetime. Its antioxidants protect against harmful molecules that candamage lung tissues.White wine also contains caffeic acid, which can help to suppressinflammation. This may help ease pain suffered by people withinflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.
GOOD FOR: Easing joint pain
White wine contains tyrosol and caffeic acid, which are also found in extra-virginolive oil. According to studies at the University of Milan, these substances can partially suppress the inflammatory reaction that occurs in painful conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.Only a moderate intake of white wine (one to three glasses a day) is needed to have a beneficial effect.
BRANDY
BENEFITS: Protects against heart attacks and blood clots
As a distillation of red wine, brandy contains high concentration ofphenolics or antioxidants, which mop up free radicals that damageorgans and tissues - 30ml provide the equivalent antioxidant potentialas the daily recommended intake of vitamin C.The University of Bordeaux has shown that a regular tot of Armagnachas a similar effect to aspirin because it helps stave off heartattacks and blood clots. It is believed this is due to brandy beingstored in oak casks, which are high in anti- oxidant plant compoundsthat mop up damaging free radicals in the body.
CHAMPAGNEBENEFITS: Helps brain injuries
Researchers triggered a stroke in two groups of mice. The group whichhad champagne - which is packed with antioxidants - had moreprotection against brain cell damage.To our health! Champagne is packed with antioxidants and helps protectagainst brain cell damage
BAILEYSBENEFITS: Protects against cancer
This Irish liqueur contains whiskey, which has high levels of ellagicacid. This inhibits the growth of tumors caused by carcinogens andkills cancer cells without damaging healthy cells.The Hollings Cancer Institute at the University of South Carolinacarried out clinical trials on 500 cervical cancer patients over nineyears. They found ellagic acid stopped cancer cells dividing.
SHERRY
BENEFITS: Protects heart.
Sherry shares many of the anti-inflammatory benefits as red wine. Itcontains high levels of polyphenols, believed to reduce the risk ofcoronary artery disease.These protect the heart by preventing ‘bad’ cholesterol from becomingsticky and building up as a deposit on blood vessel walls. They alsoincrease the body’s production of ‘good’ cholesterol.
CIDER
BENEFITS: Protects against high blood pressure and heart disease; goodfor muscle control.
According to the Institute of Food Research at Norwich, cider has thesame level of antioxidants as green tea, blackcurrant juice or redwine, helping to fight disease.It is also high in potassium, needed for nerve function, musclecontrol and to regulate blood pressure. Low levels of potassium arelinked to hypertension, diabetes, stroke and heart disease.
GOOD FOR: Boosting iron intake and protecting against anaemia
Scrumpy cider can make you feel ill because of its high concentration of chemical extracts and impurities.However, all types of cider can reduce your chance of developing iron-deficiency anaemia (with its attendant unpleasant symptoms of fatigue, lack of concentration and dizziness).Just one pint of sweet or dry cider, for example, supplies one fifth of the recommended daily allowance of iron. Vintage cider has slightly less.
GUINESS
BENEF IT S: Protects against blood clots and heart attacks
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin found a daily Guinness witha meal reduced clots and the risk of heart attacks.This is because it contains antioxidants - similar to those found in fruit
GOOD FOR: Boosting appetite
All that stuff about Guiness being good for pregnant women and elderly people is Irish Blarney. It's based on the idea that stout is rich in blood-building iron, but this isn't true - the deep black color comes from roasted, malted barley, which gives flavor, but that's about all.However, there's some truth to the idea that Guiness can help you to convalesce. Like all types of alcohol, it boosts appetite, and a pint contains 190calories. So if you've lost weight because of illness, it can help to buildup.
WHISKY
GOOD FOR: Preventing insomnia and protecting against heart disease
Like red wine, it contains antioxidants (derived from the wooden barrels it is matured in), though they are present in smaller amounts. Nevertheless, a shot or two of whisky each day will help to reduce your risk of heart disease. Doctors also often recommend whisky as a hot toddy to help induce sleep. Adding a spoon of honey and lemon will help soothe a sore throat.
On its own (or with ice), a Scotchis one of the most waistline-friendly alcoholic drinks, with a single shotsupplying just 55 calories.
VODKA
GOOD FOR: A sensitive gut and avoiding a hangover
Because vodka is so highly distilled, it means it may be deemed suitable (in small amounts) for people on sugar-free, yeast-free diets designed to tackle conditions such as thrush, candida and irritable bowel syndrome.One scientific analysis found that vodka had only one six thousandth of the content of the toxic alcohol methanol as bourbon. This, combined with the fact vodka has virtually no coloring or flavoring chemicals, means that it is unlikely to give you a bad hangover.
Posts
