The New Wine Diet: How Adding Wine to Your Meal Could Also Add Years to Your Life

You like to look and feel great-and you love your glass of red wine at dinner-but conventional diet gurus say you can't have both.

How can you rationalize keeping the wine when you want be healthy?

If you think that you have a tough decision to make, then think again, because most diet plans don't take into account all of the latest facts.

More and more studies are showing that although there are about 120 calories in a six-ounce glass of red wine, you should not stop having wine at dinner, because there are too many significant long-term health benefits and they outweigh the mere calorie intake.

In fact, wine might even be considered the new health drink.

For example, heart disease is the number one killer in the US and clinical studies have proven that, in moderation, men can lower the risk of heart disease by 50% by drinking two glasses of red wine a day. And women can reduce their risk by almost 30%, by drinking one glass of red wine a day.

Another top killer is cancer. Because red wine contains antioxidants, which scavenge destructive free-radicals that cause cellular damage, drinking wine in moderation will help prevent certain types of cancer such as prostate, colon and skin cancer.

Wine also helps our body to excrete excess sodium, so red wine acts like a diuretic, which lowers our blood pressure.

And in recent years, research studies have trumpeted a growing list of health problems that red wine can help fight such as arthritis, cataracts and kidney dysfunction. And, a new study in mice holds out hope for Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

If this list doesn't convince you that red wine should remain on your table at dinner and be long term part of your life, then check this out-wine helps reduce stress and digestive problems.

So, if you are a busy person and live life in high gear (as so many of us often do), then its recommended you enjoy at least one glass of wine with your meal, because wine relaxes us (including our digestive muscles). And we all know that digestive problems and high stress levels are the cause of innumerable health problems.

Now that you're convinced that keeping wine at dinner is a good idea, you probably want to know; "Are all wines equally 'healthy'?"

And the answer is NO. Red wines in general contain more antioxidants than white wine (and all other alcoholic drinks as a matter of fact).

And, even among red wines there are those that will do you more good. Specifically, red wines that improve with age, which means French Bordeaux, premium Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir as well as Merlot and Malbec.

It's been shown that red grapes grown in higher altitude and cooler climates (like Chile, Argentina, some parts of California, Oregon, and in New York's Finger Lakes) have more antioxidants than grapes grown in warmer climes on valley floors.

There are two reasons for this. First, the production of antioxidants are stimulated by ultraviolet light, which are more intense at higher altitudes. Secondly, in cooler climates, grapes ripen more slowly and therefore tend to be harvested later, which allows for a greater concentration of antioxidants (and better flavors too).

In summary, the decision is easy. Keep the wine and get rid of some other calorie source, because it couldn't possible come close to the health benefits of a glass of a good red wine.

So enjoy your wine at dinner and let's toast "To Good Wine and Healthy Pleasure!!!"