Paracelsus Source: Wikimedia Commons
Society has always incurred the issue of dosage. To quote the famous philosopher, Paracelsus, “All substances are poisons; there is none that is not a poison. The right dose differentiates a poison and a remedy.”
Parcelsus’ words do not falter, especially with regards to alcohol consumption. Particularly in red wine, there is a “substance” called resveratrol, a naturally occurring chemical compound found in the skin of certain grapes and berries considered to be an antioxidant. A blog from cancer research UK indicates that a low dose of resveratrol is considered to be 5 milligrams which is equivalent to a 250 mL glass of wine, or roughly 9 ounces. This minimal dose would be enough resveratrol to have an observable effect on the human body.
But how does resveratrol affect the body? You may have heard about the relation between red wine and the heart. In fact, the video below by Buzz60 introduces a study conducted in Israel by the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev which has shown that red wine has an increased positive effect on cholesterol levels. The study had 1/3 of the subjects drinking a glass of water with their meal, 1/3 drinking white wine and 1/3 drinking red wine. Excuse the cheese of this video, but it does go quite well with these wine facts.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3aobr3
As mentioned, resveratrol is an antioxidant; it donates an electron to the free radicals in the body, thereby abolishing the harmful abundance of radicals. By inhibiting free radicals, resveratrol promotes the production of nitric oxide. Consequently, the presence of this biological messenger – nitric oxide – stimulates arteries to relax, open up and allow blood to consistently flow throughout the body. This constant flow aids in the avoidance of a coronary artery spasm; a condition defined as the temporary yet sudden narrowing of the artery walls.
Essentially, red wine contains resveratrol, resveratrol promotes the production of nitric oxide and nitric oxide allows blood vessels to dilate allowing blood to flow steadily throughout the body. The video below echoes this process.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVoH67d0IDk
So, to sum it all up, go ahead and get that 9 oz of red with your dinner! Your circulatory system prefers it.
Paria Assadipour
