White Vs Red: Which Wine is Better for You?

Provided they are consumed in moderation only, both white wine and red wine may offer an assortment of health benefits, numerous scientific investigations conducted on them say.

But are you wondering which of the two is better for your health? Stop guessing and keep on reading – this article will tell you whether it is white wine or red wine that you should opt for.

Rules are Meant to be Broken

With regards to dining or gatherings where wines could be consumed or served, there are a few simple rules that one is told to remember:

  • White wine should be coupled with white meat such as chicken, turkey and fish
  • Red wine should be paired with red meat such as beef and pork
  • If both wines are meant to be served, white wine should be served before red wine

However, these days a lot of people agree to break these rules – no matter what they are eating or how far along the social gathering is, they go for the kind of wine that suits their taste, lifestyle and personality.

So in short, there are no more wine-drinking rules to remember! Oh, except for one which is discussed next.

Moderation is Key

Before we talk about whether it is white wine or red wine that’s better for you, let’s tackle one very simple rule in terms of drinking wine or any other type of alcoholic beverage.

Forget any rule that you have read online or heard from a friend – all you have to keep in mind all the time is that you should drink alcohol moderately.

According to health authorities, in order to reap the scientifically-proven health perks of white wine and red wine you should have only one drink per day if you are a woman, or up to a maximum of two drinks per day if you are a man.

Take note: when it comes to drinking white wine or red wine in moderation, one drink is equivalent to a 5-ounce glass of wine. Failure to drink white wine or red wine moderately can increase your chance of encountering health concerns associated with excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages!

The Type of Grapes Matter

Both white wine and red wine are made with grapes – grapes are crushed in order to extract the juice, which is then fermented to give rise to the chic alcoholic beverage that everyone loves.

In making white wine or red wine the types of grapes used matter a lot. Despite of the name, white wine can be made with white or green grapes. On the other hand, red wine can be made with red or black grapes, and that’s why it possesses its characteristic deep-red color.

No matter if white or green grapes are used, manufacturers of white wine do one thing before commencing the fermentation of juice extracted from grapes: the skin of grapes is removed.

It’s a different thing when it comes to making red wine: the skin of the red or black grapes is included during the fermentation process.

Including the Skin Makes a Difference

Perhaps you have already heard from somebody or read somewhere that much of the beneficial compounds present fruits with edible peels can be found in the skin.

According to scientists, the skin of grapes has a high concentration of polyphenols and flavonoids, which are compounds found in plants that have antioxidant properties. Needless to say, those polyphenols and flavonoids are capable of neutralizing excess free radicals and thus preventing the many unfavorable things associated with them, from accelerated skin aging to the development of heart disease and cancer.

Because the skin of white or green grapes are removed prior to the process of fermentation, white wine tends to contain less compounds with antioxidant properties.

Red is Due to Resveratrol

On the other hand, the skin of red or black grapes is included in fermenting grape juice, and this is why the resulting red wine packs more polyphenols and flavonoids.

There is one more amazing thing about having the skin of red or black grapes fermented, too, and that’s the fact that there’s resveratrol present – it’s actually the one that makes red and black grapes possess their respective colors, and therefore it is why red wine is colored as such, too.

What’s so impressive about resveratrol is that numerous scientific investigations have proven time and again that it may:

  • Slow down aging
  • Improve gut health
  • Lower the blood pressure
  • Reduce bad cholesterol
  • Fend off heart disease
  • Protect the brain from damage
  • Normalize blood sugar
  • Alleviate joint pain
  • Strengthen bones
  • Prevent obesity
  • Control chronic inflammation
  • Lower cancer risk

By the way, aside from red and black grapes as well as red wine, other common sources of resveratrol include tomatoes, blueberries, cranberries and even dark chocolate.

Both are Healthy, But One is Healthier

This does not mean, however, that white wine is not good for you. Both white wine and red wine are actually healthy, although the latter packs more polyphenols, flavonoids and resveratrol than the former.

But no matter which of the two you prefer more, always remember to consume white wine or red wine in moderation if you want to take advantage of the associated health benefits.

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