Wine has a wide range of benefits for adults as it contains several antioxidant properties that are good for health. However, drinking too much wine can cause several side effects and disadvantages to health, especially for older adults. To help you decide if you should be drinking wine regularly, below are the pros and cons that you need to be aware of:
Pros of Drinking Wine
- Helps With Cancer Risk Reduction
Polyphenol, also known as Resveratrol, is one of the properties that can be found in wine. It helps to prevent the development of cancer in the body by activating or deactivating molecular pathways. Polyphenol also helps cancer cells to be more sensitive to drugs and chemotherapeutic treatments. Even though this claim has been tested in the lab, it is yet to be trialed on human subjects. Additionally, some wines may not contain enough resveratrol to carry out this effect.
- Improves Heart Health
Several studies and evidence have shown that wine is indeed good for heart health. Polyphenols are a contributing factor to this as they protect the heart from diseases. The ethanol and antioxidant properties are other ingredients in wine that are generally good for your heart and circulatory system. If you suffer from heart disease, minimal consumption of wine may help positively for you.
- Reduces the Chance of Developing Dementia
Many older adults experience Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia as they age. It may be surprising to you that minimal consumption of red wine daily can help to tackle the development of dementia. Drinking wine daily can help to build up your brain’s ability to resist cognitive decline as you age.
- Reduces the Chances of Diabetes
Daily controlled consumption of red wine can help to lower blood sugar levels. This can also help to reduce the problems caused by diabetes to the heart. Likewise, it deposits healthy cholesterol in the body while getting rid of unhealthy ones.
- Helps With Anti-aging
Red wine contains several antioxidant properties that are good for the health and skin. It can help to reduce aging by fighting off free radicals which damage the skin.
Cons of Drinking Too Much Wine
Drinking too much wine is not good for any age group and should be avoided. When you consume too much wine, what you will get is a reversal of all the benefits listed before, such as diabetes, an unhealthy heart and mind, and pale skin. Other cons of drinking too much red wine include:
- Possible liver damage
- Worse gout condition
- Increased risk of digestive tract infection
- Increased risk of osteoporosis
- Possible increase in blood pressure
Moderation is key to enjoying the benefits of drinking wine to improve health. Before proceeding to drink a glass of wine every day, consider your health status and speak to a medical expert.
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