The Health Benefits Of Red Wine

 

Have you been looking for more reasons to enjoy red wine? There’s good news, because it really does provide you with a host of health benefits. Just remember to limit yourself to no more than five glasses of week (and certainly no more than two glasses a day).
Just look at the following incredible health benefits of red wine.
Heart Health
Red wine contains a variety of active compounds that contain properties to protect your heart health, including quercetin, polyphenols, and resveratrol. There have been numerous studies looking at how moderate enjoyment of red wine can be beneficial to various aspects which relate to heart disease. According to the Mayo Clinic, resveratrol can prevent blood clots from forming, raise healthy levels of cholesterol, and help prevent the damage that bad cholesterol causes arteries.
According to the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, found that Quercetin promotes heart health through reducing inflammation, and regulating blood pressure.
Fights Bad Cholesterol
A study from Copenhagen’s Royal Veterinary and Agriculture University found that the level of wine consumption was directly related to the level of good cholesterol, with participants seeing an improvement of 5% after enjoying red wine in moderation. Additionally, Australia’s Curtin University completed a study that discovered that regularly drinking red wine could reduce the level of bad cholesterol, specifically in postmenopausal women.
Free Radical Fighting
Free radicals build up in your system and cause a variety of diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular problems, arthritis, neurodegenerative diseases, and more. Red wine contains antioxidants that counteract the stress that is caused by free radicals. These antioxidants bolster your immune system, and reduce the risk of a variety of serious health problems.
Diabetes Management
Red wine can reduce the speed with which glucose passes into the bloodstream through the small intestine. This helps with the prevention of blood sugar spikes that type 2 diabetes causes. When consumed in moderation, red wine can form part of a diet plan for those with type 2 diabetes. The reason that red wine is so much more effective than white wine is because red wine contains over ten times the number of polyphenols.
Prevents Weight Gain
The grapes that are used in red wine contain piceatannol, and this is similar in structure to the compound resveratrol. However, what piceatannol does is block immature fat cells from growing. Where it is present, it prevents cell development from progressing. It’s so effective at this because it can destroy these fat cells early on in the process, thus preventing the accumulation of fat cells and gains in body mass. How? By binding to the insulin receptors that are located in the fat cells, and then blocking insulin from controlling the cycle of those cells. Additionally, it blocks the activity of insulin to activate fat formation genes.
Dementia Preventing
The Mediterranean diet has long been known for its vast health benefits. Red wine is central to the diet, and according to the National Institute on Aging, those who follow it reduce the risk of dementia by 48%.
There has been more research completed on red wine as an effective preventative measure for Alzheimer’s. It is resveratrol that is highlighted as the key compound in red wine that can prevent or slow down the progression of dementia. This is because of its ability to reduce inflammation, and serve as a protectant to neurons.
Red Wine Ingredients
The reason that red wine is so beneficial to health is due to its ingredients, it’s the flavonoid content which boosts your health.
Quercetin is known for its ability to impact heart disease, chronic disease, allergies, high cholesterol, diabetes, skin disorders, gout, stomach ulcers, eye issues, cancer, and cognitive impairments.
Resveratrol is another key compound, and it is known for its ability to support the health of cells and tissues, protect against diabetes, promote circulation, fight oxidative stress, protect against cancer, prevent premature aging, and improve energy.

 

5 Health Benefits of Eating Nuts

 

Whether you love them or hate them, there’s no denying that nuts are great for your body. They come with plenty of health benefits, and they are super easy for keeping in the cupboard for a quick snack, so here are some of the main things you can expect when you add nuts to your diet.

1. They help you to lose weight
When you look at the calories in nuts, you might be surprised, shocked and even put off the idea. However, not only do they have plenty of protein that will help you feel fuller for longer, the fats they contain are actually good fats that won’t do your body any harm when consumed in moderation. Rather than being tempted to snack on foods which are higher in calories, you’ll fill up quicker on nuts and won’t overeat as easily.

2. Nuts help to lower cholesterol
Struggling with high cholesterol can leave you feeling not quite right, and it can be dangerous for your body too. While it might seem like a common issue, you should try to lower your cholesterol if it is too high. Nuts are one of the foods that you can eat in order to achieve a healthier cholesterol level.

3. They are a great source of calcium
With the constant debate of whether we should be eating dairy or not, and the increase of people going vegan (either for health reasons or fashion!), almonds serve as a brilliant replacement in order to get the calcium that our bodies need. From helping our teeth and nails to improve the condition of hair and skin, we all need calcium and nuts can provide it.

4. They can reduce inflammation
Inflammation in the body can cause a huge amount of health problems. From stomach aches to joint ache and other issues like arthritis, reducing inflammation is important if you want to feel healthy and strong. You can include nuts in your diet by adding them to salads, stir fries or even just snacking on them during the day.

5. Nuts are a good source of fiber
It’s not just calcium that you’ll get from nuts – you’ll also get a good dose of fiber. Many of us struggle to get enough fiber in our diets, and this can lead to easy weight gain, stomach and bowel problems and overall fatigue. Almonds are particularly good at providing fiber, but hazelnuts, Brazil nuts and walnuts will help you too.

 

What are the Benefits of Eating More Fiber?

 

It’s advertised on cereal boxes, bread and other foods, and it’s something we’re always trying to eat more of on a regular basis, but how many of us really understand what’s so great about eating more fiber?

It helps you to have regular bowel movements
Constipation is a huge problem for many people, and even those who eat a good diet often aren’t exempt from this problem. Adding more fiber to your diet will help to stabilize your bowel movements and make it much easier to go to the toilet regularly. Apart from discomfort, constipation can cause many problems within your body. Not only will your digestive system not work as effectively as it could, but you could end up developing hernias and other painful issues.

It helps to achieve a healthy weight
If you’re trying to lose weight or maintain your current weight, adding extra fiber to an already-balanced diet can really help you to reach your goals. Apart from losing weight, you’ll also feel less bloated and more energetic throughout the day, which will encourage you to continue eating healthier and will also provide you with the energy that you need to work out and exercise.

It lowers cholesterol
High cholesterol can be extremely dangerous, and people often don’t take it seriously because of how common it is and how many people suffer from it around the world, particularly in the West. A poor diet is usually the cause of high cholesterol, and if it’s left untreated for a long time, your arteries can become blocked and clogged, causing you to suffer from heart disease and other serious problems. Fiber helps to lower your cholesterol and maintain a healthy cholesterol level, thus preventing future health issues.

It helps to maintain blood sugar levels
While retaining blood sugar levels, it also helps with either improving or preventing diseases such as diabetes. Type 2 diabetes often develops in older people, especially if they are overweight or have had a diet of sugars and fat for most of their lives. Adding fiber to your diet while you’re young and eating it as part of a healthy and balanced diet can help to prevent the development of diabetes later in your life. If you are middle-aged and worried about developing diabetes, you can add fiber as one of the precautionary measures to try and prevent it from developing in the near future.