May 25, 2012 -- Drinking a daily glass of red wine not only tastes good to many people, but it's also good for the bacteria lining your large intestine. A new Spanish study suggests that sipping about 9 ounces of Merlot or a low-alcohol red wine changed the mix of good and bad bacteria typically found in the colon in ways that can benefit your health. Bacteria may sound like a bad thing to have in your intestinal tract, but having a balanced mix of them actually helps to digest food, regulate immune function, and produce vitamin K (which plays a key role in helping the blood clot). Since the study results showed that Merlot and low-alcohol red wine had similar positive effects on intestinal bacteria, researchers suspect it's not due to the alcohol but to the polyphenol compounds found in the wine. Polyphenols are helpful plant-based compounds found in a variety of foods and beverages. Besides red grapes, many other fruits and vegetables are rich sources of polyphenols, as are coffee, tea, chocolate, and some nuts.

Previous research has looked at whether polyphenols in the diet can influence the balance of intestinal bacteria. This study sought to explore whether drinking red wine can have a similar prebiotic effect. Prebiotics are substances you eat that help promote the growth of good gut bacteria. In this small study, which appears in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers followed 10 healthy middle-aged men. For the first 15 days of the study, the men had no wine or other alcohol. This was followed by three 20-day periods in which the men were given one of three beverages to drink each day: They received either 9 ounces of Merlot, 9 ounces of low-alcohol-content red wine, or about 3 ounces of gin. Unlike the red wines, gin contains no polyphenols, so it served as a comparison. Throughout the study, volunteers were asked not to change their diets or exercise habits. They were also told not to drink any additional alcohol. Blood, urine, and stool samples were collected from each man during all four study periods.

And their weights and blood pressures were monitored. The findings showed that the balance of intestinal bacteria shifted in the men in a similar way whether they drank the Merlot or low-alcohol red wine. In both cases, they had a larger percent of certain beneficial gut bacteria. After drinking the polyphenol-rich beverages, the men also had lower blood pressure. It also decreased triglyceride levels, HDL cholesterol (the so-called good cholesterol), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, a measure of inflammation. "This study was the first to show that regular, moderate consumption of red wine could have a noteworthy effect on the growth of select gut microbiota," the researchers conclude. Red Wine Helps the Gut If you found this article interesting, you will love Jon Barron's newsletter!If you are a wine lover, who enjoys drinking in moderation, it’s a good bet that you are enjoying good health as well. All the wine lovers I have met are usually in the pink of their health, irrespective of their age.

These are people who enjoy sipping their wine, savoring its body and taste, they drink it moderation, more to enjoy its flavor than to get inebriated with it. Something told me wine was good for me, even as a youngster when I first tasted it. best wine bar near london bridgeI fell in love with the taste of wine with my first sip, and to later learn that it’s medically proven to have health benefits only improved my sense of wellness.best wine bar clapham There is something about wine that defines a sense of well-being. best wine bar palma de mallorcaNo wonder it’s a popular gift given around festivals.wine bar mn state fair

In several cultures it’s considered courteous to bring a bottle of wine over when you go to someone’s place for dinner. It’s rare to find people who don’t enjoy the taste of wine; asda wine multibuy discounteven the relative non-drinkers like to have a glass of wine occasionally. wine stores in cordova tnThe question being asked was whether wine is good for health? And much to the joy of wine drinkers, it’s been validated through several scientific studies that red wine has several health benefits when taken in moderation. In this article we will discuss the health benefits of drinking red wine in particular. White wine is known to be beneficial for health too, but is not as potent as red wine because white grapes have less anti-oxidant compounds than red grapes. It has been found that red wine contains several anti-oxidant compounds called polyphenols, along with essential vitamins, minerals and sugars, that have a very positive effect on the physiological functions of the body.

The presence of anti-oxidative polyphenols seems to curb the growth of three destructive bacteria namely – H.pylori, E.coli and Salmonella. These bacteria are known to cause several digestive malfunctions, and can result in diseases like stomach ulcer, diarrhea and other gastro-intestinal infections. You must remember that it’s the presence polyphenols in red wine that helps digestion, not the alcohol content. Alcohol does not necessarily have any beneficial effect on digestion, but can curb the digestive process when taken in excess. Also note that white wine is not as beneficial as red wine when it comes to helping with digestion. This way red wine also helps in losing weight. Many fried foods, and food products manufactured for long-time storage, contain damaging compounds called the – lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH) and malonaldehydes (MDA). These compounds can cause several digestive issues, and are toxic to the body in general. Studies have indicated that drinking red wine, with such foods, helps neutralize the LOOH and MDA compounds in the food by up to 60-70%, thus making the food more wholesome for digestion.

If you like to eat red meat, you will find that drinking red wine with it helps you digest the meat better. It’s has been found that red meat, and some other non-vegetarian foods, have the capacity to release some harmful chemicals in the digestive tract during digestion. Red wine has the tendency to neutralize these harmful chemicals before they can do any harm to the body. This capacity to neutralize toxins comes from the presence of beneficial polyphenols in the red wine. Red wine helps regulate the cholesterol levels in the blood, by reducing the low density lipo protein (bad cholesterol) and increasing the high density lipo protein (good cholesterol). It has been studied that drinking wine in moderation helps prevent the formation of plague, or blockage, along the arteries and thus protects against cardiovascular diseases and conditions such as coronary atherosclerosis. A research conducted in by University of East Anglia and Harvard University, suggests that drinking red wine in moderation can help treat impotence.

Red wine is a mild sedative and can help people with nervous disorders, or those who suffer from anxiety and stress. It can also help you sleep better, when taken in moderation. A study conducted by Harvard Medical School discovered that resveratrol present in red wine activates a protein which promotes health and longevity. It has also been noted that resveratrol can help prevent a host of aging related diseases in humans. It has been found that the presence of anti-oxidative compounds in red wine can help prevent cancer formation, by neutralizing dangerous free radicals in the body. A glass of red wine contains close 100 calories, and there is no such thing as a diet wine; so red wine for weight loss is not really a reality, but as mentioned above, red wine is excellent for controlling your blood cholesterol levels and protects you from the hazardous effects of “fried” foods. Who hasn’t heard of the “French Paradox”? The French are notorious for their consumption of food rich in fat content but have reported very low rates of coronary disease, and in fact are known to be a very healthful community.