Beverages That Boost Your Heart Health
You probably know that eating right can help keep your heart healthy, but did you know that what you drink might also keep your ticker in shape too? Here are some of the heart healthiest beverages, all backed by significant science:
Coffee
Though once considered a vice, we now know that drinking coffee is associated with many health perks including cardiovascular benefits. A review of 36 studies in the journal Circulation found that people who drank three to five cups of coffee per day had a significantly lower risk of heart disease. Other studies have shown that moderate coffee drinking is also linked to a lower risk of stroke and heart failure.
Heart-smart ways to enjoy: More is not necessarily better when it come to coffee. Three to five cups per day shows heart and other health benefits. Beyond that, some people feel jittery or may have problems sleeping. Make sure youre keeping your coffee heart-healthy by limiting creamers high in saturated fat and sugar.
Red Wine
In recent years, some studies have linked moderate alcohol intake with a decrease in heart disease. Researchers believe that compounds found in red wine known as polyphenols may help reduce inflammation and improve circulation.
Theres a lot of evidence brewing that tea may help boost heart health.
100% Grape Juice made with Concord Grapes
Selecting The Healthiest Red Wine
Before you get a little wild about your wine habits and begin typing healthiest red wine into Google, let an experienced dietitian deliver the verdict. I personally say go for the wine without lots of preservatives and additives. I prefer natural and biodynamic wines, she says, though theyre not always as affordable or widely available, she adds.
It is also helpful to remember that it is not just about selecting a healthy wine but about choosing how you enjoy it. If you are thinking of enjoying a glass of red with dinner, opt for a balanced, well-rounded meal containing whole grains, vegetables, and heart-healthy fats. Food also works to protect the stomach lining and slow the bodys absorption of alcoholsomething we all know too well after a big night out without any dinner.
Madirans Merlots And Cabernets
Cabernets and Madirans are wines made from red grapes, while Merlots are made from dark-blue grapes. These red wines contain high levels of the procyanidins antioxidant compounds, according to a 2012 Prevention.com article. Researchers in Spain examined the effect of procyanidins on heart disease risk factors. Their animal study, published in the March 2005 issue of the “FASEB Journal” showed that procyanidins reduced triglycerides and LDL, which is a bad form of cholesterol.
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Stay Away From Huge Wineries
Leroy Creasy, PhD, a professor emeritus in the Department of Horticulture at Cornell University, measured the resveratrol content in 100 different red wines. He advises avoiding big wineries because their wine is typically produced by chemists who may mellow out the wine to shorten aging timea process that reduces resveratrol. Look for wines from traditional or boutique wineries instead or, even better, organic wineries.
Yes Red Wine Can Be Heart Healthy
The link between red wine and a healthy heart may be due to the high level of micronutrients, called polyphenols, found in the skin and seeds of grapes.
During the production process, red wine is fermented with the grape skins and seeds for a longer period of time than white wine, which means the polyphenols are much more concentrated. For example, a glass of red wine contains around 10 times more polyphenols than a glass of white wine.
These polyphenols especially a polyphenol called resveratrol have been shown to protect and support heart health.
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French And Italian Reds
British researchers examined procyanidin content and the vasoactive properties of red wine. Vasoactive compounds constrict or expand blood vessels, which can influence blood pressure and heart rate. The researchers identified procyanidin compounds as the main vasoactive compound in red wine. Their study, published in the November 2006 issue of the journal “Nature,” determined that wines produced in southwestern France and Sardinia, Italy possessed the highest amount of this cardioprotective compound versus red wines grown in other parts of the world.
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Red Wine Is Good For Your Heart
After realizing my first food chart, Ive decided to write something more about the most important foods of the Mediterranean diet and their effects on health. Wine is one of the main foods of the Mediterranean diet. Everybody know its effects and benefits on health. Today Ive read an interesting news about the healthy effects of red wine reducing heart diseases.
After a little explanation of why red wine helps your heart, you can read a list of resources about preventing heart diseases with examples of recipes, meals and links to find out more info.
Red Wine May Help Prevent Blood Clots
Some research has found that drinking red wine may decrease platelet aggregation, which can also help reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease.
Platelets are tiny cells in our blood that bind together around damaged blood vessels when we become injured. This clotting is what stops us from bleeding and helps us heal when we get a minor cut.
However, when platelets aggregate too much, they can form blood clots. Blood clots are serious because they can block the flow of blood and oxygen to vital organs, increasing your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
By reducing the stickiness of the platelets in your blood, red wine can help prevent blood clots and reduce your risk for health complications. For example, a 2002 study published in the International Journal of Molecular Medicine measured platelet aggregation levels in male volunteers after moderate wine consumption and found they were significantly inhibited.
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What Have Scientific Studies Discovered About The Link Between Heart Health And Red Wine
Over the past several decades, data collected has shown a link between red wine consumption and a reduction in heart attack and cardiovascular disease. Observational studies found a reduced risk of developing cardiovascular disease in people who drink low to moderate amounts when compared with people who dont drink at all. However, high consumption of red wine is not linked to health benefits and can actually be harmful .
But its important to point out that these existing studies arent perfect, and they certainly cant determine cause and effect. They are susceptible to bias, and it has been difficult to control for other factors that might also have an effect on heart health. For example, do people who drink red wine in small amounts also have healthier diets or lifestyles, which could explain their lower risk of heart disease? A recent, large study that aimed to avoid these issues challenges the previous research that suggests red wine can protect you from heart disease.
Certainly, more research is needed to tease this out. But its going to be difficult. Randomized, blinded, and controlled trials are considered researchs gold standard theyre the best kind of clinical trial when trying to determine cause and effect. However, none of these exist in the study of red wine and heart health. The problem is that this kind of trial would pose ethical issues .
Ask Adam: What Red Wine Is Best For My Heart
What red wine is best for my heart that I can drink every night?According to doctors, all red wine is generally good for your heart when consumed in moderation, thanks to the resveratrol in red grapes, but new research has also found that the procyanidins in certain reds may give even more benefit. Wines with this compound include Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Nebbiolo, but the wine with the highest composition of all is Tannat. Thanks to its thick, dark skins, Tannat is rich in both resveratrol and procyanidins. So go grab a bottle and drink to your health!
How much foam should be in my draft beer?Contrary to the lesson you probably learned in college, all beer should have some foam. This head is where all of the beers aromatics reveal themselves, and brewers take these aromas just as seriously as they do the taste of the beer itself. Just like with wine, aroma helps your brain get ready for the flavors present in the liquid. They are vital to your experience with the beer.
drop!
As a general rule, the head should be about a half-inch to an inch-and-a-half thick. So the next time you head to a craft beer bar and you think youre getting ripped off because theres a head on your beer, remember that the bartender is creating the head in order for you to more fully enjoy the brew.
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Which Red Wine Is Best
While any type of red wine will contain antioxidants, some contain more than others. Cabernet Sauvignon, for example, has the highest level of flavonoids than any other wine, followed by pinot noir and Syrah.
When it comes to taste and aroma, quality certainly matters, too, according to Taub-Dix. However, as far as health benefits are concerned, a bottle of cheap red wine is going to reap you the same benefits as a pricier cab.
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What Amount Of Red Wine Is Good For You
How much red wine a day is good for you and does too much reverse all its unique health benefits?
The recommended daily serving of red wine is four to five ounces. For a visual trick, a healthy red wine pour stops when it reaches the widest part of a glass, known as its bell. Likewise, a full bottle of red wine should last a solo drinker five nights to polish off a standard 750-milliliter bottle. Following these simple allotments will effortlessly keep you in that optimal five-ounce serving range.
Men and women have different servings to take into consideration, too. Since men have more of the metabolic enzymes that break down alcohol, a healthy moderate consumption can range from five to ten ounces accompanying a meal. For women, the healthiest wine serving remains four to five ounces.
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Is Red Wine Actually Good For Your Heart
- By , Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
Have you ever topped off your glass of cabernet or pinot noir while saying, “Hey, its good for my heart, right?” This widely held impression dates back to a catchphrase coined in the late 1980s: the French Paradox.
The French Paradox refers to the notion that drinking wine may explain the relatively low rates of heart disease among the French, despite their fondness for cheese and other rich, fatty foods. This theory helped spur the discovery of a host of beneficial plant compounds known as polyphenols. Found in red and purple grape skins , polyphenols theoretically explain wines heart-protecting properties. Another argument stems from the fact that the Mediterranean diet, an eating pattern shown to ward off heart attacks and strokes, features red wine.
However, the evidence that drinking red wine in particular can help you avoid heart disease is pretty weak, says Dr. Kenneth Mukamal, an internist at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. All of the research showing that people who drink moderate amounts of alcohol have lower rates of heart disease is observational. Such studies cant prove cause and effect, only associations.
Moderate drinking defined as one drink per day for healthy women and two drinks per day for healthy men is widely considered safe. But to date, the health effects of alcohol have never been tested in a long-term, randomized trial.
Which Wines Are The Best For Your Health And Why
Wine is delightful, but lets not get confused and think its a health drink. It can be part of a well-balanced diet and lifestyle. If youre relaxing in the backyard and sipping on a grown-up beverage, theres something to be gained from making it a glass of red wine.
Thats because wine has a handy little compound in it called Polyphenols. You wont get superpowers from them, but they can help out your heart and even help you live longer. And thats sort of super!
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It’s Good For Gut Health
Folks who drank red wine were observed to have a more diverse gut microbiota which points to good gut health, according to an August 2019 study in Gastroenterology. The researchers also found an association between wine drinkers and lower levels of obesity and harmful LDL cholesterol compared to those who didn’t imbibe.
Plus, polyphenols like resveratrol may help promote digestion because they feed the good bacteria in your gut. Indeed, one small study out of Spain, published in June 2012 in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that moderate consumption of red wine had prebiotic benefits.
Red Wine Protects Heart Health
In contrast to common belief, recent studies confirm the health benefits of red wine.
Scientific studies not only consistently found that moderate alcohol consumption reduces heart disease but also showed that red wine offers the best protection .
Likewise, the Copenhagen city heart study that moderate alcohol consumption causes less overall mortality. Three to five drinks a day reduced mortality by a stunning 50% compared to people not consuming whine at all.
Once again, the benefits could only be observed for wine consumption. Beer and Spirits, on the other hand, could not yield the same health benefits .
Likewise, a French study suggests a 33% reduction in all-cause mortality while not showing any health benefits for beer .
The best health benefits occur with the consumption of one glass of red wine per day . In contrast, excessive drinking is associated with violent deaths in younger and liver cirrhosis in older people .
Nevertheless, moderate drinking has been found to prolong life by as much as five years compared to abstinence .
Thus, drink a glass of red wine a day its good for your heart health and blood pressure! But drinking a bottle of wine a day is bad for you.
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Best Red Wine For Heart Health
The best red wine for heart health is traditionally pressed. Therefore, you need to find a vinery you can trust. Thus, watch out for certification of the area of origin. When in doubt, use a wine app.
Thus, France is still a sure shot for traditional quality wine. And remember, life is too short to drink cheap wine.
In like manner, more expensive wines have the potential to increase life span while a cheap one does the opposite.
Hence, the best red wine for heart health is:
- Without added sugar
- Low in sulfites
- Low in residual sugar
The single best grape is pinot noir due to the least sugar. Moreover, it should be easy to find since its the most common red burgundy grape.
Also, theres nothing wrong with a genuine Bordeaux. It usually is a Cuvee of merlot, cabernet sauvignon, and cabernet franc.
In summary, here are the three most essential tips for leveraging red wine for heart health:
- The best red wine for health is pinot noir
- You should drink it with meals
- And limit consumption to one glass
- A small one for women
- A large one for men
If you follow these tips, a glass of red wine a day potentially improves your heart health.
In like manner, red wine improves blood pressure, blood clotting, blood glucose, inflammation, overall risk of cardiovascular disease, and mortality.
Types Of Red Wine That Are Good For You
There are over a few dozen varieties of red wines, ranging from crisp, light-bodied gamays to the robust, fortified sweetness of ports. Your favorite red wine likely falls somewhere in between, though does it land on the list of the healthiest red wines on the market?
Weve put together a list of what kinds of red wines are good for you and the all-important reasons why. These explanations are backed by research and chemistry, and will make it all the easier for you to grab a bottle or two, or a case on your next wine run or order.
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It Goes Well With Saturated Fats
In the 1960s, the belief evolved that too much animal fat causes heart diseases.
Compared to the U.S., the consumption of animal fats is about three times as high in France. But Americans have twice as much heart disease as the French .
Additionally, the French also consume more alcohol. And these facts are known as The French Paradox .
Recently scientific investigation uncovered to primary reasons for the French Paradox:
- Saturated fat rather protects against heart disease than causing them
- Red wine is also protective instead of a risk factor for heart disease