Red Wine - The Good News

Party Pooper alert! Good news for RED WINE Drinkers

We live in a culture that LOVES its alcohol. My approach has always been moderation is key, however, I did learn some new things that I didn’t know about the effects of alcohol on gut health and though I’d share them with you.

In a study carried out in 2012 they compared the effects of three different types of alcohol on gut health. For 20 days, participant groups consumed 272ml of red wine, the same amount of de-alcoholized red wine or 100 ml of gin each day. (not altogether of course!!)

Gin was found to decrease the number of beneficial gut bacteria, whereas red wine actually increased the abundance of bacteria known to promote gut health and decreased the number of harmful gut bacteria like Clostridium. The beneficial effect of moderate red wine consumption on gut bacteria appears to be due to its polyphenol and may have a protective effect on gut bacteria.

Polyphenols are plant compounds that escape digestion and are broken down by gut bacteria. They may also help reduce blood pressure and improve cholesterol.

YAY for red wine! I have just changed my wine consumption to vegan red wines that are preservative free. I was finding that the preservatives in wines were having a horrible effect on me with hot, red, neck flushes and headaches after only drinking a couple of glasses. This has made a big difference for me – let me know if you have had the same issues.

Nicole xo