Wine Drinker's (Diet)

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Wine Drinker's (Diet)
4
Thu, 07-12-2007 - 11:55am

We've heard it before- wine is filled with antioxidants, etc....here's a nifty little article- take note of what other "drinker's" eat......







The wine drinker's diet







Willow Lawson


Knocking back a glass of wine each day has long been linked to good health. That is, of course, as long as it’s one glass and not the entire bottle.


Wine protects against diseases of the heart and the brain, including coronary artery disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Wine drinkers even have lower rates of certain cancers compared to folks who don’t partake. In general, those who drink wine live longer than those who drink beer or other kinds of booze.


Yet scientists have wondered: Is wine really such a powerful elixir? Red wine contains antioxidants that have powerful health-protecting properties, but the relationship may not be simple cause and effect. Perhaps wine drinkers also take better care of themselves - they may also eat more healthily and exercise more regularly than beer drinkers or teetotalers. In other words, perhaps wine is a marker for a certain lifestyle?


A new study suggests the benefits of wine are at least in part due to the smart dietary choices of wine connoisseurs. Danish researchers analysed 3.5 million supermarket receipts and found that wine drinkers (people who bought wine as their only form of alcohol) tended to buy more fruits, vegetables, low-fat meats and cheeses than do other shoppers.


Beer drinkers, on the other hand, filled their trolleys with ready-to-eat dishes, cold cuts, sausages, sugary items and soft drinks, the researchers report online in the British Medical Journal.


These divergent shopping lists suggest that lifestyle choices may be more important than the type of alcohol a person drinks when it comes to determining mortality risk.


Other demographic patterns emerged among the Danish wine drinkers that could also influence their lower mortality rates. They tend to be more highly educated, wealthier and in better physical shape than beer drinkers. Similar results have been found in a Californian population, suggesting this isn’t just a quirk of the current study.


It seems that no matter where they live, wine drinkers tend to subscribe to the so-called Mediterranean diet - chock full of fresh food and healthy, unsaturated fats like those in olive oil and fish, with a minimum of artery-clogging fat from meats and processed foods.


Another wrinkle: Scientists note that wine usually accompanies a meal, which means that the alcohol may be better tolerated by the body. In contrast, beer or other spirits tend to be enjoyed on a fairly empty stomach – for example, while watching the game on TV or sidled up to a bar.


Still, even with all the evidence that wine may not be a cure-all, let’s not discount the power of a glass of Chilean Shiraz. Scientists have identified some 6,000 antioxidants in wine, especially wines made with grape skins, which turn the wines red in colour. In general, foods that have dark pigments - such as blueberries, cherries, spinach or kale - are also packed with cell-protecting chemicals.


These antioxidants do their work by disarming rogue molecules known as free radicals, which damage cell membranes and oxidise “bad” cholesterol, leading to hardened arteries.


A daily tipple of alcohol - any alcohol - also thins the blood, which a recent study found prevents blood clots.


So go ahead, uncork that bottle. Bottoms up!







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iVillage Member
Registered: 11-22-2006
Thu, 07-12-2007 - 11:57am
Cheers!

Bookwyrm


June 11 – July 16

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iVillage Member
Registered: 12-04-2003
Fri, 07-13-2007 - 12:20pm

Great news for wine lovers! I am a definite red wine lover, and now I have a great excuse (as long as I'm eating said healthy foods WITH that wine, LOL)

That article made a lot of sense actually, when I think about what I'm generally eating when I have wine as opposed to a beer!





June 11 – July 16

The WeatherPixie
Last week I exercised for 535 minutes!
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Fri, 07-13-2007 - 1:37pm

A couple of us actually discussed this last night.....I was having a beer and another friend was having wine. I mentioned the article, and he said yes, for the most part his diet is more Mediterranean kind of things. For instance he had salmon and a salad for dinner last night- me, well I had a frozen meal (LOL)...


I never really gave it much thought before reading the article, but when you think of beer you don't actually think of salads really; more chips and nacho's come to mind- but with wine; fruits.....interesting conversation piece!


*Note for the dinner date tonight Miranda....and btw, what's up with your double posts all over the place!? lol







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iVillage Member
Registered: 12-04-2003
Fri, 07-13-2007 - 3:39pm

I've had huge problems posting today - it keeps freezing up and then doesn't post so I go and repost, but the original post has now posted. siiighhhhh.