More on the Health Benefits of Wine

Shout out to Tom and Doug for being the first to use the “Products that are Totally Worth It” links to buy something they will love!  Please let me know your thoughts on the Wine Folly book as you use it.  I love her big infographic style of writing.

I’m seeing a lot more on twitter and facebook now about the health benefits of wine.  It’s probably all because of algorithms and analytics, and if I was in my teens going to college, this is probably what I would choose to study.  Alas, I am at this side of my career, and so I move forward reviewing analytics, trying to figure out how to get more visitors and views, and come to terms with how to make my retirement career happen.  But since I last wrote about the health benefits of wine, I’m seeing more articles now, and there are some interesting facts to add on and links to share.

First, a Dutch study looked at biodiversity in our guts by, (yes, they really did!) looking at our poop.  What they basically found is that greater biodiversity in the gut is better for your health.

Indeed, both studies found even small dietary changes to have a big effect. In Wijmenga’s study, while some dairy products, such as yogurt and buttermilk, increased the diversity of species in the gut, full-fat products tended to decrease that diversity. Red wine and coffee seemed to increase the biodiversity of the gut as well. High-calorie, carb-heavy diets had the opposite effect.

That makes sense.  Wine, being made from yeast bacteria turning grapes into greatness, is going to biodiversify your gut. Of course, the angelic yeast that made this great stuff are pretty much dead and gone by the time we bottle it, but still… Since red wine and coffee make up 2/3 of my body chemistry, I think I’ve got a good gut!

For those of you out there who jump on resolutions and diet fads, you’ll really want to key in on the Mediterranean Diet for this reason:

Wine; oh yes, this diet includes wine! And better still, it’s a daily dose with two glasses a day for men and one glass a day for women.

It also notes the importance of physical activity to longevity, much like this study that says that physical exercise wipes out the negative effects of daily wine intake, allowing the positive effects to remain.

Finally, Champagne improves your cognition? I read it on the internet! This interesting study also notes the positive effects of Resveratrol as an antioxidant and talks about how phenolic acid has a positive effect on spatial working memory and added proteins in the brain! Of course this was done on lab rats, and it basically helped them find treats in a maze better, so if you’re looking for something you misplaced at home, have some champagne, and you’ll likely find it!

So it’s all coming up roses about one or two glasses of wine a day in my social media feeds!  Maybe I’m living in the bubble, however.  As always, there is a caution to remember that moderation is everything and that too much of a good thing is a bad thing, excessive drinking leads to awful things like car accidents, bar fights, and massive negative health effects.  Be sure to practice moderation, which means limit to one to two 5 oz. pours, a few days per week at most, and only choose really really good Virginia Wine, or you’re wasting your moderation.

Now that this is done and dinner is ready, what kind of wine pairs with quiche?