Health benefits of wine drinking

A lot has been written about the drinking preferences of beer over wine by Bangaloreans .India is a new and developing market for wines and it is therefore not surprising that other forms of liquor that has been around for much longer is given precedence over wines.Although many articles underlying the health benefits of wine have been released regularly in the media;the complicated rituals involved in wine-tasting coupled with a lack of wine knowledge has effectively prevented the common man of India from embracing this wonder drink.

Let me begin by talking about the health benefits of wine.Wine as most of us know is made from grapes.The grape skins contain large concentrations of an anti-fungal compound called Resveratrol which displays powerful antioxidant properties.Resveratrol alters the lipid profile of a wine consumer by increasing the percentage of HDL(High Density Lipoproteins), which accompany the bad cholesterol the LDL and VLDL away from the walls of the arteries, thereby preventing the formation of plaques or Atheroschlerosis.Over 200 phenolic compounds are also found in the skins and seeds of grapes.These polyphenols help in the relaxation of the arterial walls and thus reduce blood pressure.The antioxidants found in wine mop up the free radicals, or damaging chemicals, from the blood thereby rejuvenating it.Many wine-drinkers in their 60s and 70s are found to remain alert giving rise to speculations that wine may help prevent Alzheimer's disease.Polyphenols also play a role in preventing degenerative oxidation to keep the regular consumer youthful and relatively free of the unwelcome signs of ageing.

A lot of people after listening to all these benefits often ask me one spontaneous question.Then why cant we drink grape juice instead?The answer my friends lies in the fact that wine contains 8-14% of alcohol.Alcohol has the unique quality of relieving stress when consumed in moderate quantities.Stress as we are all aware can reduce the physical,mental and social wellness of an individual,resulting in depressed immune levels.Mental stress and battered immunity can open the doors to a lot of infection.What better answer can we then find to good health than to have a glass of wine?

Wine has been offered as a sacrament to God from time immemorial.It has been the preferred drink for monks and Kings for milleniums now; offered in celebrations of birth and feats.It is therefore appropriate that an elaborate ritual is followed in wine tasting.What seems to appear like a complicated procedure is in fact simple steps which when followed meticulously help us to enjoy the unique nature of wines.Wines although made from grapes is probably the only fruit product that smells and tastes like other fruits and flowers but ironically has no essence of grape when the product is finished.And like a mantra,wine drinking on regular and repeated practise liberates the senses of sight,smell, taste,touch and hearing.What is more important is that no two wine experiences will be the same.The people one shares the wine with,the place,the occasion and the bottle of wine uncorked guarantee a sublime but unique experience each and every time.So for those of you who were not motivated to buy a bottle of wine based on the health benefits here is a perfect reason for you to become a connoisseur.Enter a world of adventure in which you only get to gain benefits that can help you outlive your oldest adversaries and friends.You will not regret it.Cheers!Uncork that bottle!! Till we meet again!!!

Dr.Yashoda Devi.