Before I start, I want to remind everyone that you must be 21 or older to consume alcoholic beverages. No one under the age of 21 should consume an alcoholic drink because it is illegal.
Alcohol usually has a negative connotation to it, because it is considered as a depressant, it causes people to make irrational decisions, and is unhealthy if consumed often. Is there an alcoholic drink that could be beneficial to a human’s health? Scientists have found the answer to this question, red wine.
Multiple studies show that a glass of red wine a day is healthy for your heart and may help prevent heart disease. In a study done by Copenhagen City Heart Study, 13,285 men and women were observed in order to find out the benefits of drinking red wine. The study found that “patients who drank wine had half the risk of dying from coronary heart disease or stroke as those who never drank wine.” (Szmitko 2005).
Red wine contains antioxidants, the main one being Resveratrol, which is found in the skin of the red grapes that are used to make red wine. Resveratrol “increases the levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol) and protects against artery damage.” (Mayo Clinic). Studies on the effects and benefits of Resveratrol have been done on animals, mainly mice and pigs. The results of the studies on the mice reveal that the antioxidant can protect them from obesity and diabetes. The results of the studies done on pigs reveal that Resveratrol increased the body’s ability to create insulin.
Although studies prove that the antioxidants contained in red wine have benefits, there are many stipulations that result of these studies. One argument that debunks red wine being healthy is that not many studies have been done on humans. Because humans are not often studied, it is not certain that the red wine could have the same benefits to humans as it does with animals. Another stipulation is that you cannot drink to much wine. Excessive drinking of alcohol can cause damage to the liver. Your liver can process moderate amounts of alcohol, but when you drink to much, the liver struggles and takes a long time to process all of the alcohol. Drinking too much alcohol also increases your risk of high blood pressure. If you choose to drink wine, the recommended serving for men is 1-2 glasses a day and only 1 glass a day for women. The rule of the that doctors usually say tot heir patients is, “a glass a day keeps the doctor away.”
In conclusion, red wine is healthy for your body, as long as you drink it in moderation. Although most of the studies on the benefits of wine have been done on animals, the studies that have been done on humans is conclusive and clear. If people want their heart to be healthy and their risk of heart disease to decrease, they should think about drinking a glass of wine a day. It keeps the doctor away!
Sources:
American Heart Association Journal
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In your blog you list the pros of drinking wine, but there are also many cons that may outweigh the pros. The reality is that overconsumption of alcohol causes about 88,000 deaths in the U.S. every year (CDC). Drinking wine 1-2 times a day can create a risk of developing alcoholism. Bob Wright, the director of education at Hilton Head Health, says alcohol gets in the way of you making smart decisions. “I don’t say this judgmentally,” he says, “But it gets in the way of people behaving in a healthful way.” While wine may improve your physical health, it could be damaging your mental health. The risk of heavy drinking could lead to the cause hepatitis and cirrhosis, both of which are very serious. It can increase blood pressure and damage the muscles of the heart. It is the cause of drinking and driving accidents, lessens inhibitions, creates a potential for addiction and can make people act inappropriately. Moreover, the World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute for Cancer Research have linked alcohol to cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, and colon, as well as the breast cancer risk mentioned above.
Another flaw with drinking 1-2 drinks glasses of wine a day is that wine begins to ruin your skin over time. According to Dr. Ariel Ostad, a dermatologist in the Department of Dermatology at New York University Medical Center, “alcohol is a notorious dehydrator and diuretic, which explains many of your hangover symptoms and why your skin is dull and dry. It beats up your liver, of course, which can make your skin look sallow and pasty.”
So does the benefits of drinking wine once or twice a day seem worth the penalty? Antioxidants can also be gained from healthier alternatives like fruits, vegetables, green tea, herbs and spices. Although there are benefits, I think a reader should weigh the benefits with the penalties.
Source: http://www.grandparents.com/health-and-wellbeing/health/drinking-alcohol
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/Preventing-Heart-Disease—At-Any-Age_UCM_442925_Article.jsp