A glass for the mood: how useful is wine?

Wine has been known to mankind since ancient times. It is believed that in moderate quantities this drink cannot harm the body. Some people claim that it is good for health. But is it really so? Let’s find out together with nutriciologist Anna Garnova.

Average calorie content of red wine: 80 kcal per 100 g.
Average calorie content of white wine: 70 kcal per 100 g.

Is there more benefit or harm in wine?

First of all, it should be noted that alcohol belongs to those products that are called nutraceutically not valuable – these are “empty” calories. A person can safely do without them.

The main myth about the benefits of wine is based on the fact that it contains antioxidants that have anti-inflammatory properties. However, they are also in the skin of grapes, and it is quite possible to get them from berries, vegetables and fruits.

Wine, like any alcohol, gives a load on the liver, which is responsible for detoxification. For this organ it is a priority to remove alcoholic substances from the body. Therefore, other detox processes stop for a while.

A healthy person can cope with a small amount of wine without harm to themselves in the same way as pregnant women, having previously consulted with a doctor.

Many psychologists claim that wine has pain-relieving properties, it also improves sleep, cognitive functions (memory, perception, thinking), tones, relieves fatigue and tension.

How to choose a healthier wine?

Dry red and dry white wine is considered more harmless, as this way you can avoid the use of additional sugars. It is also desirable to purchase a product of local production, because sulfur dioxide is often added for transportation.

Choosing wine, it is worth paying attention to personal preferences and flavor combinations. For example, red wines are well suited to dishes made of red meat: veal, beef, game. White wines are traditionally associated with fish delicacies. Preference is given to lighter and not very fatty variants, for example, halibut, sea tongue, dorade. Red fish (tuna, salmon, trout), white meat like pork, poultry, wild poultry, veal, various pates, shrimps, crabs, lobsters are suitable for pink wine.

Before consuming any alcohol, it is best to eat something high in protein and fat, such as steak or fatty fish. This will slow down the absorption of alcohol and reduce the risk of a hangover.

What is a vinous beverage and how is it different from wine?

Wine is a product made from pure grape juice with no additives, including no ethyl alcohol, rectified alcohol, or any fruit distillates. And a wine beverage is a type of alcohol that contains at least 50% wine materials and may also contain ethyl alcohol, fruit distillates, sugar-containing products, natural coloring and flavoring additives. For example, large amounts of sugar and syrups are added to sangria and mulled wine.

Wine is considered a higher quality and harmless product. But also the price for it will be much higher. Small amounts of wine material and additives in wine drinks do not best affect the taste qualities, and sometimes it can even have a sharp alcoholic odor. It is better to choose a product made of natural components, as this will help to reduce the load on the body.