The debate of whether wine could ever replace the dietary benefits of fruit juices has aged like fine wine itself. But, the topic remains to be a delectable mystery for all.
This is an age-old dilemma which has always had a certain section of people believing in the nutritive power of fruit juices over indulgence in wine; and the other category swearing by this alcoholic elixir at all times.
But, to know if you should really replace your fruit juices with wine, you need to understand the fundamental points of difference regarding their essential properties and how they actually work inside your body.
The Health Benefits Of Wine.
It is no secret that red wine has been scientifically proven to improve heart conditions, keeping cardiovascular diseases at bay. It is rich in flavonoids and plant-chemicals called polyphenols that boost up your immune system.
One such polyphenol in wine is resveratrol that provides heart-protective benefits such as reducing damage to blood vessels and maintaining the right cholesterol level. But, most importantly, resveratrol prevents blood clots, reducing the risk of stroke.
Wine, especially white, is rich in antioxidants that clear up free radicals and slows the aging process. It helps improve your cognitive faculties and is known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties, amongst numerous other health benefits.
But Where Does The Demon Lie?
Although wine packs quite a punch of several beneficial properties, we must not forget that at the end of the day, it is alcohol, in the significant part of the drink, that we’re ingesting. And, alcohol, undeniably, will have its own set of disadvantages, the commonest of them being, an adverse effect to your liver.
While fruit juices most certainly won’t severely affect your system, excessive alcohol consumption can cause numerous ailments such as fatty liver, cirrhosis, hypertension, pancreatitis, depression, anxiety and many more.
Also, this alcohol-based substance should be avoided by anyone with a severe heart condition, diabetic patients and pregnant women, at all costs.
A Tad Bit About Your Familiar Fruit Juices
Your daily glass of fruit juice packs loads of nutritive benefits. It is the most natural way to replenish a range of essential compounds, vitamins, and antioxidants, to mention the least, and helps curb numerous diseases of all types and sorts.
It doesn’t really affect you in a negative, given you’re not allergic to any specific fruit. The only problem that one can ever have with fruit juices is when they have a high glycemic level, where the fructose contained in fruits may increase the sugar level in blood.
Two of the most rewarding fruit juices ever would be grape and pomegranate juices.
Grape juice in place of wine provides you with all the benefits of the fruit, minus the alcohol. This includes a wide variety of antioxidants stacked in the grape-skin along with resveratrol and another type of polyphenol known as ‘anthocyanins’ which lowers cholesterol, blood pressure and protects blood vessels in your heart.
Similar to wine, darker varieties of grapes deliver better results.
Pomegranate may be deemed as the elixir to youth that comes laden with polyphenol and contains more antioxidants than blueberries, cranberries, orange juice, green tea or red wine!
It has been proven that 2 ounces of pomegranate juice consumed daily can significantly reduce the thickness of the carotid artery, whereas, 8 ounces every day can decrease stress-induced ischemia.
It helps the brain to receive more oxygenated blood, preventing damages from blood clots, inflammation, and trans-ischemic attacks. It protects the blood vessels and prevents major heart and blood diseases.
So, What’s The Verdict?
So to sum up, we might just go ahead and say that instead of replacing fruit juices with red wine, having a balanced diet that would give us the benefits of both of these drinks is what should be considered.
Since, to have just one is to miss out on the other, why not have the best of both worlds when you absolutely can!
Moderate amounts of wine can do wonders for your health. You can also mix some with your favorite fruit beverage to amplify its nutritive value.
As long as it is safely lower than approximately 2 ounces for both men and women (1.5 oz), you run no risk of getting adversely affected by your favorite wine.
Also, do not forget to meet the requirements of 8-9 servings of fruits and vegetables daily as recommended by the AHA to enjoy a healthier lifestyle.
Hope you liked our guide on the subject as much as we liked creating it for you.
Till next time!
Leave a Reply