The popularity of wine has increased over the years due to its numerous health benefits. Besides its excellent taste, wine contains antioxidants that improve gut health and reduce cholesterol levels.

The following article will explore the kind of wine that has characteristics beneficial to human health, particularly for gut health and lowering cholesterol.

What Wine is good for Gut Health and Lowering Cholesterol?

The type of wine that is healthy for gut function and reduces high cholesterol levels is red wine. Red wine contains antioxidants known as polyphenols, which are essential in improving gut function.

Polyphenols protect the body from inflammation and have prebiotic effects.

Additionally, red wine also contains resveratrol, a type of polyphenol that benefits the body by reducing inflammation, insulin resistance, and oxidative stress.

Studies have shown that resveratrol is good for gut health and can reduce high cholesterol levels by increasing the production of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol commonly known HDL.

How does Resveratrol in Red Wine Improve Gut Health?

Resveratrol is a type of polyphenol found in grape skins and seeds. Polyphenols contain antimicrobial properties that help to fight harmful microorganisms that grow in the gut.

The antimicrobial properties of resveratrol make it beneficial in improving gut health. Resveratrol enhances mucosal secretions in the gut, reducing inflammation and promoting healing to gut wounds.

Resveratrol works to reduce the number of unhealthy bacteria growing in the gut. In particular, studies have found that resveratrol reduces the number of bacteroides and increases the number of lactobacillus in the gut.

These bacteria are good for the gut and help in reducing inflammation to promote gut health.

How does Red Wine help Lower Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a vital component in the body, but when there is too much of it circulating in the blood, it can pose severe health risks.

Red wine aid in lowering cholesterol levels by increasing the amount of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL).

Red wine is known for its resveratrol content that stimulates the expression of a gene that regulates cholesterol metabolism. The gene known as sirtuin1(SIR1) inhibits the enzymes that are responsible for synthesizing cholesterol in the liver.

Moreover, resveratrol increases the production of apolipoprotein A1, which in turn increases the levels of HDL cholesterol. HDL is beneficial in lowering low-density lipoprotein commonly known as bad cholesterol in the blood.

HDL carries LDL from the bloodstream to the liver, where it can be metabolized and eliminated from the body.

How Much Red Wine Should One Drink to Achieve the Health Benefits?

While red wine’s health benefits have been proven, it is essential to keep in mind that overconsumption of alcohol is detrimental to health.

The recommended daily consumption of red wine is one glass a day for women and two glasses per day for men. One glass of wine is equivalent to 5 ounces or 148 milliliters.

Drinking red wine in moderate amounts results in maximum health benefits. Consuming excessive amounts of red wine increases the risk of liver and heart diseases, high blood pressure and also increases the risk of developing certain types of cancer.

Conclusion

Studies have shown that red wine is beneficial to gut health and reduces high cholesterol levels. Red wine contains antioxidants that are essential in promoting gut function and reducing harmful microorganisms that grow in the gut.

Moreover, red wine’s resveratrol content increases the production of HDL cholesterol, which is beneficial in lowering bad cholesterol in the blood. Moderate consumption of red wine is recommended to achieve maximum health benefits.