Dane Fletcher is the world's most prolific bodybuilding and fitness expert and is currently the executive editor for BodybuildingToday.com. If you are looking for more bodybuilding tips or information on weight training, or supplementation, please visit www.BodybuildingToday.com, the bodybuilding and fitness authority site with hundreds of articles available FREE to help you meet your goals.
Q: Is it true that red wine is good for one’s health?
A: As long as it’s not abused, red wine can, indeed, have a beneficial effect on your health. For a long time researchers were aware of the cardiovascular benefits of the flavonoids contained in red wine. More recently, they’ve discovered two other classes of antioxidants that further contribute to the well being of the drinker. The first, called saponins, act to prevent the absorption of cholesterol in the body while the second, resversatrol, is thought to inhibit tumor development in some cancers.
Flavonoids are antioxidants found in the skin and seeds of red grapes. They are known to reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering the levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the so-called “bad” cholesterol, while boosting levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or “good” cholesterol. There’s also evidence that flavonoids help keep blood vessels dilated and stop red blood cells from clumping together, thus diminishing the risk of heart attack or stroke.
The skin of the red grape is also the source for saponins. This cholesterol inhibitor is also found in soybeans and peas. Its concentration in red wine is 10 times higher than in white wine. Resversatrol also comes from the grape skin. As well as it’s potential benefits for cancer patients, this antioxidant appears to help in the formation of nerve cells, which makes it important in the treatment of such neurological diseases as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. There has also been some publicity to the effect that resversatrol may have an anti-aging effect. This is based on a Harvard study in which the life span of yeast cells was extended by 80 % when resversatrol was added to them. It remains to be seen whether the same benefits will result with human cells.
Another compound found in the skins of red grapes, polyphenol, acts to inhibit the chemicals in the body that make blood vessels constrict. This reduces the fatty streaks in the vessels, making them healthier which, in turn, makes their owner less likely to suffer a heart attack.
However, there is a negative side to counter all of this good news. It appears that just one glass of wine (red or white) per day is enough to increase a woman’s risk of breast cancer by 6%. As a result many health professionals are wary of recommending regular red wine consumption, despite the proven cardiovascular and other benefits. If you do decide to regularly partake for your health’s sake, keep it to around a glass per night.
- Related Videos
- Related Articles
- Ask / Related Q&A
- A Body to Go: Bodybuilding Fitness Basics
- 7 Untold Tips on Bodybuilding Fitness Workouts
- Bodybuilding, Fitness Training and Proper Supplement Use With Guaranteed Results
- Bodybuilding: Fitness and Health to the Extreme
- Discover YOUR Most Effective Bodybuilding Workout!
- Bodybuilding And The Olympics: An Ongoing Controversy
- Becoming #1: Beginning Competitive Bodybuilding
- The Fundamentals Of A Bodybuilding Diet
Weight Loss and Parasites? Lose Weight with Parasite Cleanse?
By: Sudath Priyantha | 12/11/2009Tired of Trying Everything to Lose Weight and Still Failing? The Reason is Not What You Think?
Fast Foods - More harm than you think
By: oweeng2 | 12/11/2009Fast foods gives you more harm than nutrition. Read more to learn some of it's health risk.
Alkaline Diet Chart - Examining Good Food
By: Byran Dixon | 12/11/2009Have you seen an alkaline diet chart before? If you're not familiar with what it is, the chart presents different food and beverages, the category in which a food/beverage belongs, and the level of alkaline or acid it contains. Why should you examine the alkalinity and acidity of the food you eat?
Acid and Alkaline Foods - How to Maintain the Balance
By: Byran Dixon | 12/11/2009Nature abounds with a wide range of both acid and alkaline foods for us to enjoy. Some foods have higher alkaline content while others have higher acid content. Thus, we need to choose very carefully when it comes to feeding our bodies.
Anthony Diet - A Closer Look at Good Health
By: Byran Dixon | 12/11/2009Anthony "Tony" Robbins is a respected wellness guru and the endorser of the Anthony Diet or alkaline Diet. He is the author of the book Awaken the Giant Within and is a strong believer that peak performance begins with healthy eating.
What is Mint tea ?
By: bethvagliardosy06 | 12/11/2009One will find the prescence of mint tea in moroccon culture at higher scale. Mostly moroccon people have the intake the mint tea along with their foods.
How to Earn Reiki Certificates
By: Sabrina Rocca | 12/11/2009If you want to become an expert at Reiki, then you have to work towards getting certified at a center. Reiki certificates are issued to those who have undergone this process. It is also known as a process of attunement, which means that the person who wishes to learn what it is all about and how to use it to heal others is taught all about the symbols and how they are to be used in a therapy session.
SIX EASY SUPERFOODS FOR FAT LOSS
By: James Davy | 12/11/2009One of the easiest ways to help rid yourself of excess weight is to simply include foods in your diet that can improve your results. The six "superfoods" listed below all have well-documented benefits for weight loss, and they can generally be eaten without counting calories, so they can make for healthy, guilt-free snacks on the go. In dieting, food is not the enemy, and can actually be an ally, if you eat the right varieties.
How To Gain Weight and Stay Lean Simultaneously
By: Dane Fletcher | 10/11/2009 | BodybuildingIt is very easy to gain weight; the problem comes with making sure that the weight you are gaining is healthy weight. It is one thing to be skinny and it is a totally different thing to be fat. If you are skinny you need to ensure that you work out towards attaining a lean body mass which is characterized by developing lean body muscles.
How To Stay Committed To Bodybuilding Training
By: Dane Fletcher | 10/11/2009 | BodybuildingThe determining factor as to whether you are going to achieve your goal as a bodybuilder is your attitude. If you are not committed to achieving your bodybuilding goal then you will be unable to succeed. You should not give up when the going gets tough otherwise you will only be chances of succeeding both in bodybuilding and life.
Guaranteed Tips To Help You Increase Your Muscle Mass
By: Dane Fletcher | 10/11/2009 | BodybuildingIf you want to increase your body mass and yet you are a hard gainer it becomes very difficult if you are not aware of the rules needed in order to increase body mass. Yes, if you want to increase your body mass there are certain rules you need to follow in order to succeed in your quest which will be highlighted in this article.
Tips For Increasing Stamina While Bodybuilding Training
By: Dane Fletcher | 09/11/2009 | BodybuildingIf you are a bodybuilder you need to eat a high protein diet as well as start exercising regularly. If you are planning to become a professional bodybuilder then it is a must that you seek the assistance of a professional instructor who will be able to guide you properly. If you are in the primary phase of bodybuilding you can train at home so that you can better prepare your muscles to undertake intense weight training in the gym.
Understanding Advanced Training Routines For Bodybuilders
By: Dane Fletcher | 09/11/2009 | BodybuildingEssentially, an advanced routine adapted from the professional or even from high level international or national competitor is enough to leave the teenager as well as intermediate more over-trained as well as under-trained in other areas.
Plan Your Bodybuilding Routine For Fast Muscle Development
By: Dane Fletcher | 09/11/2009 | Muscle BuildingThe definition of natural bodybuilding routine is the use of natural techniques in bodybuilding in order to achieve muscle hypertrophy. In order for your bodybuilding routine to be considered natural you are not supposed to engage in the use of any muscle enhancing substances in order to achieve fast muscle development.
How To Get A Muscular Physique In No Time
By: Dane Fletcher | 05/11/2009 | BodybuildingIf you want to increase your muscles mass there is a way you can be able to achieve this without using steroids. This will involve eating healthy meals, adequate weight training exercises and resting. The reason why you need to avoid steroids in your quest to develop a muscular physique is to avoid the potential negative side effects, which ruins muscle growth all together.
Learn The Basics To Increase Muscle Growth Faster
By: Dane Fletcher | 05/11/2009 | BodybuildingMany young people dream of getting muscles so that they can look like the male models they watch on TV. We all know that when you look good you also feel great about yourself. When you grow your muscles you will be able to significantly boost your self esteem and confidence. In bodybuilding the sole agenda is to increase your muscle gain period. In order to succeed in increasing your muscle gain you need to stick to a productive and intense workout regimen.