Written by Catherine Saxelby
on Friday, 14 March 2014.
Tagged: alcohol, antioxidants, healthy eating
A. All alcohol, including red wine, has risks and benefits. In small quantities - which means one glass a day for women - red wine is beneficial for your heart, thanks to its high level of grape antioxidants known as polyphenols. The French Paradox has proven that red wine is a 'heart protector' even when your diet is high in saturated fat from cheese, pate and pastries.
But too much can raise blood pressure, triglycerides and your weight - none of which is good for heart health.
And any type of alcohol can increase your risk of cancer, even in small amounts, according to the Cancer Council.
Enjoy a glass of red wine every day or every second day but keep your intake to one or two glasses at most. Drink with food and have two alcohol-free days per week.
Polyphenols in red wine may protect omega-3s in blood plasma, leading to a healthier heart, according to Italian researchers from the University of Milan. The researchers found that the wine polyphenols increased the resistance to peroxidation of the omega-3 DHA and EPA more than that of the omega-6 AA. During oxidation, the red wine polyphenols also delayed the increase of the ratio between arachidonate and eicosapentaenoate. Read a summary of the research from Food Research International.
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