The health benefits of wine first gained fame in the early nineties when 60 Minutes did a feature on the positive impact of drinking red wine in moderation. But what about the health benefits of white wine, and how do they compare to reds?
There are several benefits of drinking wine in moderation. First there is the alcohol, which can raise “good” HDL cholesterol, reduce blood clots and lower blood pressure, says Kathy Kitchens Downie in the September issue of Cooking Light.
Red wine also contains more milligrams of potassium (180 vs. 101) than its white counterpart, and only slightly more alcohol. The potassium wine contains helps maintain fluid balance in the body, and one glass of red wine contains 120 calories, compared with 118 calories in white wine.
There are the antioxidants found in both types wine. Past studies have indicated that the majority of protective compounds in grapes--polyphenolic antioxidants--reside in the skin and seeds of grapes. Since the skins are separated from the pulp to make most white wines, then it has been concluded that red wines and red grape juice are the most heart healthy.
But recent studies—such as one presented in the ACS Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry—have challenged this idea, finding that there is evidence that the flesh of grapes is equally cardio-protective as the skins are.
The key to obtaining any of the wine benefits, however, is to enjoy wine in moderation, with no more than one glass per day for women and two glasses for men.
Written by Karen
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