The
health effects of wine are the subject of considerable ongoing debate
and study.
In the USA, a boom in
red wine consumption was touched
off in the 1990s by '60 Minutes', and other news reports on the French
paradox.
It now seems clear that regular consumption of up to 1-2 drinks a day
(1 standard drink is approximately equal to 5 oz, or 125 ml, of 13%
wine) does reduce mortality, due to 10%–40% lower risk of coronary
heart disease, for those over the age of 35 or so.
Originally, the effect was observed
with red wine. Compounds, known as
polyphenols, are found in larger amounts in red wine, and there is
some evidence that these are especially beneficial. |
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One particularly interesting polyphenol
found in red wine is resveratrol, to which numerous beneficial effects
have been attributed. Red wine also contains a significant amount of flavonoids and red anthocyanin pigments that act as antioxidants. With
excessive consumption, however, any health benefits are offset by the
increased rate of various alcohol-related diseases, primarily cancers
of mouth, upper respiratory tract, and ultimately, cirrhosis of liver. |
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Other studies have shown that similar
beneficial effects on the heart can be obtained from drinking beer,
and distilled spirits. However, recent studies show that only
red wine
reduces the risk of contracting several types of cancer where beer and
other alcoholic beverages show no change. Dr. Sinclair of Harvard
University and others claim that resveratrol is the active molecule
responsible for the significant difference in lowering cancer risks
and that the required amounts are only found in red wine. Trace
amounts of resveratrol exist in grapes, white and red wine and
peanuts.
Sulfites (or sulphites) are chemicals that occur naturally in grapes
and also are added to wine as a preservative. They can trigger a
severe and life-threatening allergic reaction in a small percentage of
consumers, primarily asthmatics. In the USA nearly all commercially
produced wine, including that with no added sulfites, is required to
state on the label "contains sulfites."
In other countries they do not
have to be declared on the label, leading to a common mistaken belief
that only wine from the USA contains sulfites. Many consumers who have
adverse reactions to wine, such as headaches or hangovers, blame added
sulfites but are probably reacting instead to naturally-occurring
biogenic amines such as histamine. The quantity of sulfites in a glass
of wine is the same as in a serving of dried apricots.
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Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wine
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