From reds to whites, shiraz to rosé there are so many varieties of wine to choose from.
But which ones are the best for you health-wise?
Is Wine Good for You?
Drinking wine, in moderation, can be good for you according to Nutritionist and dietician Cynthia Sass via Health.com.
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She explains: “Wine contains antioxidants that can help reduce the risk of heart disease by decreasing the level of “bad” cholesterol and increasing the level of “good” cholesterol in your blood.”
Which wines are the healthiest
Red wine
Red wines are the healthiest variety available, according to Sass, because they contain the most antioxidants.
The dietitian says: “Red wine has eight times more antioxidants than white wine. That’s because the grape skins aren’t removed during fermentation.
“The antioxidants have been linked to health benefits, including heart disease protection and possibly longevity.
“They can decrease the levels of “bad” cholesterol and boost the levels of “good” cholesterol in your blood, which can reduce the risk of heart disease.
“Daily consumption of red wine is linked to a 12% increase in “good” cholesterol.”
Sass added that red wine, drunk in moderation, could also increase your lifespan while also decreasing the risk of colon and prostate cancer.
Orange wine
Orange wine is the second healthiest wine, according to Sass.
This variety of wine, which has become a viral sensation recently, is made with green grapes and the skins and seeds remain in contact with the juice, resulting in an orange hue.
The reason it is one of the more healthy wines, Sass says: “While the skins and seeds ferment in the grape juice, their good-for-you antioxidants, polyphenols, seep into the juice, providing an antioxidant content similar to that of red wine.
“Since orange wine has similar antioxidant content to red wine, it may offer similar health benefits.
“Orange wine may be beneficial for heart health and protect against heart disease.”
Rosé
Rosé, which can be made with any red grape, and is produced worldwide including in Spain, France, Italy and Australia.
This is the third healthiest wine out of the four with fewer antioxidants than red and orange wine but more than white.
White wine
The grapes used for making white wine have their skin removed during the fermentation process.
And because most of the benefits come from the skin, white wine doesn’t have the same health benefits as the other varieties.
Risks of drinking wine
While drinking wine in moderation can have its benefits, it does also pose some health risks.
Drinking wine and other types of alcohol, according to Sass, can increase the risk of breast and other cancers.
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Drinking over the prescribed alcohol intake increases the risk of:
- Heart disease
- Breast cancer
- Cancer of the gastrointestinal tract
- High blood pressure
- Liver disease
- Stroke
How much wine should you be drinking
The NHS recommends drinking no more than 14 units of alcohol a week, spread across 3 days or more.
That equates to around six medium (175ml) glasses of wine, or six pints of 4% beer.
