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7 red wine benefits for women

Red Wine Benefits for Women

If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, does a glass of red wine do the same? If you read Mayo Clinic’s assertion that consuming red wine in moderation can be good for the heart, then the answer is yes! Let’s explore health-related red wine benefits for women here.

A few facts about red wine

Made by fermenting dark grapes, red wine comes in several varieties, depending upon the age, type of grapes used, and other factors. Interestingly, ancient Egyptians turned red wine into medicine roughly 5,000 years ago to help with several different conditions, ranging from stomach aches to herpes.

Since that time, the health benefits of red wine have been favorably linked with cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, metabolism, and more. A small amount of good-quality red vino has numerous beauty benefits to the skin and hair, per the details below.

Top red wine benefits for women:

1. Good for the skin

Interestingly, wine can act as a UV protectant from the inside out. This study, for example, found that sipping red wine can diminish the “UV-induced erythema reaction,” more commonly known as a sunburn. In addition, it can combat “carcinogenesis and metastasis of melanoma and epithelial skin cancer.”

Though, that’s not giving you the go-ahead to drink a bottle a day. All in moderation, ladies!

Also, make sure you also apply sunscreen or eat it – all before heading outdoors.

Red wine has antioxidant properties, too, that can boost skin health. Specifically, it’s a class of polyphenols called proanthocyanidins, which exist in grapes and wine, that research shows can improve skin hydration.

By protecting the skin from oxidative damage by the sun’s UV rays, proanthocyanidins can help prevent skin from:

  • Drying out
  • Wrinkles
  • Sagging

And that’s not all! A fascinating use of red wine for the skin is using it externally as a toner. Apply some red wine on your face using a cotton pad after cleansing, and let it dry out for 15-20 minutes. Wash it off with water or a mild cleanser as the final step to combat acne and encourage glowing skin.

2. Improves hair health

Red wine contains flavonoids and antioxidants critical to keratin formation, which is beneficial for healthy hair. Thus, the tasty liquid helps improve hair quality, leading to shiny and frizz-free hair.

Red wine is also known to combat hair loss, again because of the flavonoids in it.

To make the most of the red wine benefits for women, shampoo your hair as usual and then rinse it with a cup of red wine. Doing so will reduce scalp infections, dandruff, and hair loss, as well as encourage glossy, shiny hair.

3. Aging and red wine benefits for women

It is no brainer that since red wine is packed with essential antioxidants, it has immense health perks.

Research backs up this statement, too: A study from Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute concluded that resveratrol, which is present in skin grapes and provides its color, has the ability to halt brain cells from breaking down during the aging process.

Resveratrol is specifically found in red grapes and red wine. This polyphenolic compound has the potential to slow age-related dissolution, according to that study, which is huge!

As per the Mayo Clinic, as stated at the onset of this post, the yummy liquor is also great for heart health, and a healthy heart implies a long, healthy life.

4. Reduction in breast cancer risks

Interestingly, having alcohol bevies on the regular can increase breast cancer risks, while red wine has the opposite effect, when moderately consumed, as per a Cedars-Sinai Medical Center study. How so?

As per the Cedars-Sinai researchers, the chemicals in red wine that come from red grape seeds and skins slightly lower estrogen levels and boost testosterone in premenopausal ladies. That occurrence can drop female risks of developing breast cancer.

In particular, this study found lower estrogen and higher testosterone levels in women in the premenopausal stage who had an 8-ounces glass of red wine daily over about a month-long period. The other group of women in the study consumed white wine, and the same result was not found.

More red wine benefits for women:

Red wine benefits

5. Better oral health

Researchers in Spain discovered a positive correlation between tooth decay and red wine. Specifically, the alcoholic drink has polyphenol, a primarily natural chemical that is well-known for its ability to combat bad bacteria that leads to some oral health issues. Poor oral health is one of the struggles for patients with Alzheimer’s disease.

Specifically, it can lessen teeth erosion, as can other foods that have polyphenols in them, such as:

  • Blueberries
  • Lemon juice
  • Beans
  • Black grapes

Who knew oral care and wine have a positive relationship like that?! More research still is necessary in the future to determine exactly how red vino obstructs the bacteria.

6. Aids in better sleep

Will you get more z’s tonight if you have a glass of this cranberry-colored concoction? Maybe.

You won’t want to have an alcoholic drink right before bed as it disrupts your sleep cycle a few hours after consumption, making for restless sleep. Instead, have it a bit earlier, such as during dinner, to help enjoy the positive results found by Israeli researchers.

This research team from the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev found that one glass of wine at night (red or white) enhanced sleep quality in the participants who did so versus those who did not, over a 2-year span. Having the delicious beverage with a meal can help prevent the blood-sugar spike that typically happens after eating a meal.

As it is known, any kind of alcohol has a relaxing and calming effect on the mind and body when consumed. Consuming a small amount of red wine before heading to bed does the same. It has a high quantity of melatonin, which helps in causing sleep, by stimulating the internal clock of the body. This leads to good quality sleep, which has numerous benefits for the skin and the body.

7. Can improve heart health

Back to heart talk!

Again, it’s the polyphenols present in red wine that help to produce beneficial effects on the heart, particularly the grape skin’s resveratrol content. The benefits are many, as per an in-depth research review, that moderate consumption of the drink can reduce the risk of coronary death by 30 percent.

Resveratrol in red wine protects the heart cells, explains the same research review. At the end of this study review, the authors explain, “it is evident that resveratrol can protect against a variety of diseases such as ischemic heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, inflammation and infection.”

Red wine benefits for women: Use common sense

While there are numerous red wine benefits for women, keep in mind here that moderation is key. Excessive consumption of alcohol can be more hazardous to the body than advantageous.

Furthermore, red wine has a high concentration of sugar and is acidic, which may have digestive and metabolic implications on the body. In extreme cases, excess consumption may lead to addiction and substance dependence.

Hence, one must be careful to avoid any kind of binge drinking. So, how many is it ideal to have? For women, “safe drinking” is not more than one 5-oz glass of wine (at 12% alcohol) per day and a maximum of 7 of these drinks per week.

The amount that is usually medically prescribed is not more than 150 ml a day, and one must be careful to abide by it. Pregnant women and people with liver issues must avoid it completely. For people with medical conditions, don’t forget to consult your doctor before you self-medicate with red wine. Don’t let the cons of red wine outweigh its pros for you!

32 thoughts on “7 red wine benefits for women”

  1. suman

    its nice for the health average 1 glass of wine a day. its so easy to drink more and daily wowsome of this red wine as sweettt.

    Reply
  6. Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life.

    I drank more red wine when we lived in Spain as the majority of those we knew and socialised with drank red in preference to white and that included French and Italian friends. There is a great deal of talk about the Mediterranean diet, which is mainly fresh and not manufactured, but there is more fats in the diet and certainly red wine does help with the digestion of that. I find that now I prefer red to white and probably don’t drink enough of it.. I need to do better…..excellent post Christy…

    Reply
    1. Christy B

      Thanks Sally for your wonderful feedback here and apologies for being so late about it too. The holiday season certainly was a busy one! Big hugs to you ~ Happy 2020!

  10. peggywds

    As you mentioned, moderation is key. I was aware of the heart benefits but had no idea that it acts as a UV protector. Amazing! My husband and I both enjoy good red wine. Thanks for writing this informative article, and cheers!

    Reply
  11. jjspina

    This is good to know. I like a glass of red wine with my dinner. I find it does relax me and helps me with digestion. Thank you so much for this post. I will share with my friends who love red wine! Merry Christmas! 🎁🎄 🍷 🍷

    Reply
  13. glitzyritzymommy

    As of Italian decent red wine has been a staple of health however in moderation. There are many as you stated health benefits unless you take to an extreme. I usually cook and eat dinner with a glass and a half which to me lowers my risk of heart issues. I know as a medical assistant that exceeds the limit however the severe stress I am under and the intolerance to aspirn gives me the same effect as aspirn would for thinning the blood and reducing stress related angina. With that said I dont suggest this against medical advice but for me the benefits outweigh the risks! Again more then I stated above poses a risk hazard but for me has increased my HDL and has lowered my stress related chest pains without the use of aspirn. Great post!!!

    Reply
  14. Mira - The Handy Journal

    Hi Christy! Very important topic and very well written! In fact, This topic has a lot of controversies, and I would like to share my personal point of view as an MD/PCP.
    Although a lot of studies have showed that alcohol can have several health advantages as u have mentioned, however all the studies showed that these benefits can only be achieved if the consumption was in moderate quantity. (1drink for females and 2 for males which unfortunately is very hard to do).
    To add, when we weight the risks vs benefits, the risks are greater in size : Cancer (esophageal…), pancreatitis, Liver cirrhosis/cancer. Again this is my personal point of view and maybe other physicians don’t share the same thoughts.
    thanks for sharing this post and I hope we can collaborate soon in health topics!

    Reply
    1. Christy B

      Hi Mira, thanks for sharing such a valuable comment! Research is in-depth and it’s nice to see your feedback on the findings too. Yes, let’s collaborate soon.

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