Here’s an important piece of information for all wine lovers: did you know that there are actually benefits of drinking wine? Well, surprise, there are! So rather than it feeling like a guilty pleasure, in actual fact it could be good for you.
Red wine in particular has some incredible health benefits when consumed in moderation. Depending on where you live in the world, the concept of “drinking in moderation” might be defined a bit differently. On average, it is defined as no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.
It's important to keep moderation in mind to soak up all of the benefits that red wine has to offer. Here are 5 benefits of drinking wine before bed.
1. It helps you relax and unwind
There is no better feeling than coming home after a long day, changing into comfortable clothes, and kicking back with a glass of your favorite wine. If you’ve ever wondered why wine makes you feel relaxed, there’s actually a reason.
Red wine contains a compound called resveratrol. This compound is found in the skin of red grapes and subsequently found in red wine.
When we are stressed, our body produces corticosterone, a stress hormone. However, the resveratrol in red wine helps to block this hormone and thus helps the body and mind to relax.
Nobody wants to go to bed stressed, and it isn’t healthy to do so either, so pour yourself a glass after work. You deserve it!
2. It may help you lose weight
Here’s another mighty benefit of resveratrol. If you’re trying to lose a bit of weight, having a glass of red wine may do the trick.
The resveratrol in wine can aid in transforming white fat into beige fat. The difference between these two types of fat is beige fat burns energy to warm our bodies and white fat stores energy. Since beige fat is made of smaller cells, it is much easier to burn off than white fat is.
Remember to drink in moderation, though. Having too much can have the opposite effect!
3. Red wine may help contribute to better gut health
Who doesn’t want more healthy bacteria in their gut? If you would like to increase the amount in yours, then consider reaching for red wine in the evening.
In a 2019 study, the journal Gastroenterology discovered that people who regularly drank red wine had a greater diversity of good bacteria in their guts as opposed to people who did not drink red wine.
Having a diverse amount of bacteria in your gut is very important. It helps to digest food and also can help to manage a healthy weight. When gut bacteria is out of whack, it can be linked to weight gain and potentially other diseases as well.
4. It might improve your heart health
The health benefits of red wine don’t end with the gut. Several studies show that a nightly glass of red wine might assist in lowering your risks for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. This is due to it being packed with antioxidants and tannins.
Resveratrol, as well as other antioxidants, in red wine help to increase HDL cholesterol (the good kind). It also helps to lower LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) when consumed in moderation.
HDL cholesterol is vital in the prevention of plaque build-up in the arteries, which leads to heart attacks and strokes. Let’s raise a glass to a healthy heart!
5. Red wine has amazing skin benefits
The skin is the body’s largest organ, so why not give it the love it deserves? Drinking a glass of red wine at night might improve the appearance of your skin the following morning.
Delhi-based nutritionist Anshul Jaibharat stated, "red wine is packed with antioxidants like flavonoid, resveratrol, and tannins which help fight aging by restoring collagen and elastic fibers."
Not only this, but antioxidants also contain anti-inflammatory properties. With that being said, drinking red wine may help heal acne. Some even suggest applying the wine topically. What better way to relax after a long day than to do a face mask with wine while also sipping it?
To summarize
The world is full of many delicious wines, and the fact that some of them have potential health benefits makes them even more desirable. Drinking a glass of red wine before bed may help you to unwind while also improving your overall health.
Whether you’re pairing a wine with a home-cooked meal or simply sipping on it in your backyard, wine is an excellent addition to your evening routine. Cheers!