You’ve heard over and over just how much of a downer drinking liquor can be for your health, weight loss, and attitude. But some studies have also shown that boozing on occasion has some perks. And we agree—as you keep your imbibing under control and sipping in moderation, you might just notice some benefits of alcohol!
So, this isn’t a green light to down six beers or taste test every cocktail on the menu during your next company happy hour. But it’s kind a nice to know that you can hit the bar and a enjoy a drink or two for the sake of your well-being. Check out our Eat This, Not That! guide for drinkers, check out the below benefits, and then bottoms up!
Red Wine Can Actually Burn Fat
It’s true: A glass of red could help you with your weight loss efforts. A study from Oregon State University revealed that the dark red grapes found in some types of red wine can help people manage obesity and a metabolic fatty liver, due to a chemical called ellagic acid. This chemical slows down the growth of fat cells and stops new ones from being created, which boosts the metabolism of fatty acids in liver cells.
Alcohol Can Help Fight Colds
Red Wine is Beneficial to Your Heart
We’re not giving the okay to drink during a cold, but getting in the habit of drinking moderately can help prevent one. A study in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that the antioxidants in red wine can help you reduce your risk of a cold by a shocking 60 percent.
We already know that wine is great for heart health, but a Rhode Island Hospital study that compared pinot noir to vodka found that red wins. Researchers fed vodka and wine to two out of three groups of pigs along with a high-fat diet for seven weeks. And while both groups that had vodka and wine both saw cardiovascular benefits, pinot noir’s antioxidants, high resveratrol content, and pro-angiogenic and anti-inflammatory properties made the alcoholic beverage the winner in this study.
Drinking Moderately Can Improve Sexual Function in Men
Scientists from the University of Western Australia found that wine drinkers experienced lower rates of erectile dysfunction than those who don’t drink. And the lower rate was significant, too: 25-30 percent! What’s the reason you ask? Well, the heart-healthy antioxidants present in wine may deserve all the credit.5
And for Women, It Offers Libido-Boosting Powers
Women who drank one to two glasses of vino had heightened sexual desire, compared to ladies who didn’t down any vino, a Journal of Sexual Medicine study found. What makes the elixir so beneficial is a rich antioxidant profile that triggers nitric oxide production in the blood, which relaxes artery walls. This increases blood flow down south, creating feelings of sexual excitement.6
Red Wine Can Boost Your Memory
Ever notice how wine nights with your friends always end with a trip down memory lane? Well, this study could shed some light on that scenario. A 2015 study by Texas A&M University found resveratrol, a compound found in the skin of red grapes, can improve memory and cognitive function in rats. So, next time you accidentally bring up an embarrassing story of one of your friends, just blame it on the alcohol.7
Wine Can Make You Live Longer
If you look forward to that glass of wine or two every evening, there’s no need to give up the habit. A Genes & Nutrition study found that resveratrol in wine can help induce the expression of several longevity genes that regulate cell survival.
Vino Can Boost Your Vaccine’s Effects
Ordering a glass of wine with your meal can work in your favor during cold and flu season. A study published in Vaccine suggests that drinking wine with dinner a few times a week can help enhance the effects of vaccines. Researchers gave 12 monkeys smallpox vaccines, then gave them access to either 4 percent ethanol or sugar water with the same amount of calories (the control group). They tracked the monkeys’ alcohol consumption for 14 months, vaccinating them again after the first seven months. Although the monkeys all responded to the first vaccine similarly, the moderate drinkers of the test group saw increased vaccine response than both the non-drinkers and heavy drinkers after the second.9
White Wine Is Weight-Loss Friendly
It seems that red wine gets all the credit for being healthy, but fear not white wine lovers; there’s been previous evidence that supports white wine as the better option for weight loss. A study in the Drugs Under Experimental and Clinical Research journal found that white wine’s phenols have a higher antioxidant count than the ones found in red. These wines for weight loss are both waist-friendly and wallet-friendly.10
A Glass of Cabernet Could Enhance Your Workout
Or any type of red wine for that matter. Research published in the Journal of Physiology found that the resveratrol found in most red wines can enhance exercise performance, improve muscle strength and heart function—all benefits similar to endurance training.
As mentioned earlier, moderate drinking can improve your insulin sensitivity. It allows the cells of your body to use blood glucose more effectively, thus keeping your blood sugar level. To reap the health benefits of alcohol, visit liquor store Avon, Colorado!
Paul Williams 