Does Red Wine Lower Stress?
If you’ve been anywhere near the internet in the last few years, and we bet you have, chances are you’ve heard about the incredible health benefits of red wines. One popular topic of headlines is the fact that wine contains a compound, resveratrol, that reduces stress and anxiety. So, does red wine lower stress and anxiety? That’s what we’re diving into today.
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What is Resveratrol?
Resveratrol is a chemical compound found in fruit. The ones with the highest levels resveratrol are blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, grapes and apples. The compound has beneficial effects.
Resveratrol helps control acne, assists in weight loss when combined with other healthy habits, improves heart health in people with Type 2 Diabetes and has anti-aging properties when applied topically to the skin.
A study by the University of Buffalo found that resveratrol also blocks an enzyme that causes anxiety and depression. That’s great, right?
The Truth About Red Wine’s Ability to Lower Stress and Anxiety
Sadly, from a purely scientific perspective, the amount of resveratrol in red wine is so low that it cannot lower stress.
Here’s the breakdown.
A suggested serving of red wine is five ounces. The daily recommended amount of resveratrol is 1 gram. There are .03-1.07 milligrams of resveratrol in a serving of red wine. We’re not mathematicians but even at the highest concentration of 1 milligram of resveratrol per five ounces of wine, a person would need to drink 5,000 ounces (or 1,000 glasses) of wine to get the suggested amount of resveratrol.
That’s 200 bottles of wine.
But, There’s Good News!
Does red wine lower stress thanks to its resveratrol content? No. But there’s other ways that wine can reduce stress.
First, wine acts as a calming agent similar to a sedative. A single glass of wine relaxes you and can increase feelings of contentment. Just don’t overdo it. Too much alcohol can lead to not only health issues but also significant guilt, bad decision-making, hangovers and other negatives. But one or two glasses in the evening is a perfect way to enjoy natural relaxation.
That said, it’s not just the natural sedative qualities of wine that are beneficial.
There is something about the ritual of an evening glass of wine that rivals the best meditation practices. Slowing down to select, open, pour, sniff and taste a glass of wine is an excellent way to focus on something enjoyable while letting go of other daily stressors.
Wine is a social activity. Enjoying a glass with a partner or friend while cooking or eating dinner is a great way to spend quality time. Conversations will move toward lighter topics, allowing everyone to feel lighter and leave behind the day’s annoyances.
A Great way to Increase Resveratrol
Have you ever been around wine people? While they sniff and swirl they list of a variety of aromas. This can be intimidating for those who are less experienced in wine, but anyone can participate and we’ve got the perfect way to get resveratrol and wine.
All wine contains phenolic compounds including flavinoids. As the name suggests, these are flavour compounds that also give organic materials their aromas. Grapes have a ton of these compounds which is why wine can smell like so many different fruits and flowers.
Red wines generally have aromas of red and black fruits. Red fruits include cherry, strawberry, cranberry, raspberry, pomegranate, red plum. There can also be notes of lilac, roses, hibiscus and hydrangea in red wines. Black fruits include black cherry, blueberry, blackberry, mulberry and black plum.
The next time you open a bottle of wine, grab red and black fruits and practice smelling and tasting them along with the wine to learn how to identify aromas like the pros.
If white wine is more your style, they often have aromas of citrus, tropical, orchard (pear, apple) and stone fruits along with floral aromas like honeysuckle, daffodil and blossoms. Do the same while tasting white wines and before you know it, you’ll be able to name the aromas in a glass.
Healthy Consumption
No one can–or should–attempt to drink 1,000 glasses of wine. That said, you can increase your enjoyment of that single 5 ounce glass, and reduce stress and anxiety, by sharing it with a friend or loved one and consuming more fruits. Reducing stress while improving your wine prowess? Sounds like a perfect evening activity to us!
