Tag: grapes

Red Wine and Gut Health

Todays post is about how red wine can assist our gut health.

I have written previously about the health benefits of red wine. The good news is, now there is more evidence available.

Drinking a daily glass of red wine not only tastes good to many people, but it’s also good for the bacteria lining your large intestine.

A new Spanish study suggests that sipping about 266ml of Merlot or a low-alcohol red wine changed the mix of good and bad bacteria typically found in the colon in ways that can benefit your health.

 Bacteria and the gut

Bacteria may sound like a bad thing to have in your intestinal tract, but having a balanced mix of them actually helps to digest food, regulate immune function, and produce vitamin K (which plays a key role in helping the blood clot).

Previous research has looked at whether polyphenols in the diet can influence the balance of intestinal bacteria. The latest study sought to explore whether drinking red wine can have a similar effect.

 What are polyphenols?

Polyphenols are helpful plant-based compounds found in a variety of foods and beverages. Besides red grapes, many other fruits and vegetables are rich sources of polyphenols, as are coffee, tea, chocolate, and some nuts.

 The good news

This study found that moderate consumption of red wine resulted in increased production of beneficial gut bacteria. It also had beneficial effects on blood pressure and total cholesterol levels. The study also found that that consuming 100ml of spirits daily can damage gut bacteria, this was due to the ethanol content.

This study revealed that the accompanying substances (polyphenols and tannins) actually provide health benefits, and in fact neutralise the damage caused by the ethanol in the wine.

One important thing to remember: it is best to drink wine with or after food.

The food slows down the absorption allowing the polyphenols and tannins time to exert their health benefits. When drunk on an empty stomach, around 80% of the alcoholic beverage passes into the upper small intestine for absorption. The health benefits will be missed and the ethanol will actually cause damage.

 What about beer?

Although it has not been studied extensively, scientists consider that moderate consumption of beer may have similar health benefits. The antioxidant content of beer is equivalent to that of red wine. However the specific antioxidants are different due to barley and hops containing different flavonoids to grapes.

(Sources – www.australiannaturaltherapistsassociation.com.au, www.sciencedirect.com, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, https://academic.oup.com)

So, enjoy a nice glass of red with your meal for better gut health.

Till the next post, 

Live clean n prosper.

Red wine and Chocolate

Well, according to Saturdays Courier Mail, it’s official. Ladies, red wine and chocolate are healthy! Love it!

I have always said that these 2 items are good for us, as long as they are of good quality and consumed in moderation.

 The article states; ‘women are less likely to develop diabetes if they indulge in moderate amounts of red wine and dark chocolate.

A study of 64,000 women found that those who consumed more antioxidants slashed their chances of getting the disease by 27%. The participants consumed 15% of their antioxidants from red wine.’ ‘The study concluded the compounds in wine outweigh the damage of alcohol, provided women consume less than a glass a day.’

Healthy Chocolate

 At the beginning of the year I wrote about the many health benefits of raw cacao. One of those being, that Raw Organic Cacao has over 40 times the antioxidants of blueberries. Therefore, to get the most health benefits from chocolate, you have to consume a very dark and preferably ‘raw cacao’ product.

Your average chocolate bar from the service station probably won’t fit the criteria.

 Keep in mind that a good quality dark chocolate should contain very little sugar and additives. These ingredients will undo the benefits. I shared my healthy chocolate recipe in February.

Red wine

 Grapes are rich in many antioxidants. These include resveratrol, catechin, epicatechin and proanthocyanidins.

These antioxidants, especially resveratrol and proanthocyanidins, are believed to be responsible for the health benefits of red wine.

Proanthocyanidins may reduce oxidative damage in the body. They may also help prevent heart disease and cancer.

 Resveratrol is found in grape skin. This antioxidant has been linked with many health benefits, including fighting inflammation and blood clotting. Resveratrol has also been linked with reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer.

 Red wine was found to be particularly beneficial to lowering the risk of developing diabetes. The polyphenols in red wine actually help to manage blood sugar levels.

 Small amounts of red wine are linked to more health benefits than any other alcoholic beverage.

 People who drink approximately 150 ml of red wine a day seem to be at about a 32% lower risk of heart disease than non-drinkers.  However, a higher intake increases the risk of heart disease dramatically.

 Drinking small amounts of red wine may reduce the risk of heart disease by helping to retain the “good” HDL cholesterol in the blood. Oxidative damage and the oxidation of the “bad” LDL cholesterol may also be reduced by up to 50%

However, there is a fine line between moderate and excessive intake.

 Moderate intake of red wine is defined as 1-2 glasses (100 to 200 ml) per day. It is also recommended that you have at least 1–2 days a week without alcohol.

There are, of course, other sources of antioxidants, such as green tea, blueberries and other fruits and vegetables.

However you get your antioxidants, enjoy it.

Till the next post,

 Live clean n Prosper.