Other Health Angles Of Red Wine

I have received many questions from visitors relating to red wine and health.  In many instances visitors are essentially asking the same thing but their questions are slightly different; however, in some instances visitors have asked more specific questions. 

I have already discussed health and red wine in a previous page, which you can access by clicking here, but today I’m going to tackle some of the more specific health related questions. 

Below you will find some of these questions and their answers (labeled “Q” and “A,” respectively).

(The first two questions are so close I’ve listed one after the other.)

Q. “I enjoy red wine.  What amount is considered a "harmful" consumption of red wine (male aged 56, good health)?”

Q. “How much quantity one can consume red wine on an health aspect day to day basis...I like to know the exact quantity (ml) “

A. The only way to reap health benefits from red wine is by consuming it in moderation.  Moderation means one to two glasses a day for men and one glass a day for women.   For your information: you cannot abstain from drinking alcohol throughout the week and then make up for missed days by consuming the daily amounts all at once. One glass is equivalent to 188 milliliters (ml).   

Q. “Will I become dependent if I consume red wine on a regular basis?”

A. Dependency and addiction are complex matters and beyond the scope of this newsletter.  However, often if one has a familial history of addictions then the chances of addiction are increased (although not having a familial history doesn’t mean someone will become dependent).  If you don’t drink any alcohol at all then I wouldn’t recommend starting; however, switch to red wine if you do.  I think you’ll find that wine consumed in moderation as mentioned above combined with a healthy lifestyle of moderation is best.  If you feel like you might be getting hooked on even having a moderate amount of alcohol on a regular basis, you could try giving it up for a while to make sure you don’t need it. 

Q. “I have never tried wine in my 44 years of age. My doctor prefers me to drink red wine for health purposes. I want to start but I’m afraid of bitter tastes.  Can we mix any juice or soda with wine? Or is wine only consumed without mixing?”

A. Well I would not mix wine with anything since I really enjoy the taste of wine and it would dilute the taste; however, you can most certainly mix your red wine with club soda.   It is actually called a wine spritzer and is a fairly common drink.  More so, spritzers are made using white wine but many people also do it with red.  I wouldn’t recommend mixing it with juice though.    Indeed if one had a bottle of wine they didn’t like it, the club soda could make it more palatable.  It could also be used with less expensive table wines, again to make them more palatable.   Instead of jumping to club soda, I would recommend you first give the following wines a try: Beaujolais, Pinot Noir, Chianti sparkling red wine such as a sparkling Zinfandel.  You might find you can drink and enjoy them without dilution.

Q. “I am a man, 57 years old.  I have been drinking red wine with 0 sugar for a long time.  My potassium in blood is high and the doctor says I have to reduce my potassium as it’s affecting my kidney. My sugar level is at border line but within limits.  But I love red wine.  Does red wine increase your potassium in blood?” 

A. My understanding is that potassium levels can be high when the kidneys do not excrete enough potassium and this can be caused by many things.  However I am not a doctor.  The best and most responsible advice I can give is to recommend that directly ask your doctor this question.

Q. “We were told that red wine helps clear arteries if you drink about 4 ounces every 3 days or do.  We bought some.  My sister had a bad allergy attack. Reading the label, it said it contained sulfites.  Do all red wines contain sulfites?  We have allergies.  We also like something kind of sweet.  What would you recommend?” 

A. Yes sulfites naturally occur during fermentation and are in all wines.  However, in many cases, small amounts of sulfites are added to the wine during fermentation to prevent contamination.  You’ll see in the US that bottles have to contain a warning that they contain sulfites, also Australia and other some other countries also have such warnings.

Now what’s interesting is that some people claim many European wine makers do not add many (or any sulfites).  I have never been able to substantiate this claim for sure though. Depending on how serious your sister’s allergies are, i.e. for example, she doesn’t have to carry an EpiPen, you may want to give some European wines a try but, again, not if your sister’s allergies are a matter of life and death.

Arterial plaque results from oxidation.  Red wines contain antioxidants which help prevent oxidation.   So red wine, in moderation, as directed above, may very well be beneficial to your health.  Also it has also been said to help with arterial elasticity (flexibility of arteries).

Q. “My doctor told me to have red wine 3x's a week for health reasons.  I don't know anything about red wine. What do I buy?”

A. This is a very subjective matter without knowing what taste profile you prefer.  If you think about it, your enjoyment of wine is really most important thing, and what you enjoy is going to be particular to you.  If you ask other people what they recommend, you’re getting their perspective not your own.

However what I tell people is that they should begin to record what they enjoy in a wine, and then they will know what to seek. 

Q. Does re wine help cut fat or burn fat?

A. To respond I will start with just one example of some interesting studies and their similar findings.

Researchers at the University of Porto in Portugal completed research by treating animals with red wine versus a control group which were not treated with wine.  Researchers found that the group of animals treated with red wine gained significantly less weight than group given no red wine.  Interestingly both groups but did the same amount of exercise over an eight-week period.

As with any research with animals, it cannot always be generalized to humans but there is a possibility that red wine can be helpful in this regard. Obviously regardless of what one takes from this research consumption in moderation is of key importance.  My personal opinion on this matter is that a glass of wine can be far more enjoyable and better for you than say a sugary candy bar or bag of chips or, really, any other food that is laced with carbohydrates and sugar.  

Typically most wines do not have that much sugar and do no significantly raise blood sugar levels (however check with a doctor if you are diabetic or really before including this as a dietary plan).

So if you are consuming red wine in moderation by foregoing other fattening food then by all means raise a glass in moderation!

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