Is Wine Good For High Blood Pressure?

By Chrisitan Goodman

I recently had dinner with some good friends and noticed that "Jane" was drinking red wine. At first I thought it was a joke, as Jane had more than once complained that she did not like the taste of red wine and in fact, preferred white wine.

It seemed that Jane had recently read an article stressing the benefits of red wine compared to white wine. It stated that there were health benefits, most importantly to the heart.

I was not surprised by this information. I've known for years that there has been proven health benefits to drinking red wine in moderation. This means one glass per day for women and two for men.

There have been some studies involving people from Mediterranean countries, who's diets where very high in fat. Researchers found that even though participants ate a high fat diet, their LDL (bad cholesteral) was low and their HDL (good cholesteral) was high. They also reported low blood pressure for participants. When looking for a common link, researchers found that all of the participants drank red wine.

It is thought that resveratrol and flavonoids, two antioxidants found in the seeds and skin of the red wine grape (also included in fermentation, unlike white wine) are responsible for these health benefits.

It is thought that resveratrol raises HDL cholesterol, which helps to prevent blood clots. Flavonoids help to reduce blood clots as well, in addition to preventing plaque from forming in one's arteries.

New research, though, has found that white wine and other types of alcohol are showing similar results. One particular study even indicated that white wine is more beneficial for health than red because the molecules in white wine are smaller and are more easily absorbed.

While I'm always interested whenever studies show promising health benefits from traditionally bad habits like alcohol consumption, but I also tend to take it with a grain of salt. Just how beneficial are these "health benefits" compared to the ill effects?

In every study, researchers are quick to point out that only drinking in moderation will produce any health benefits. In fact, they go on to say that alcohol abuse will cause far more devastating health problems than benefits.

Over indulgence in alcohol is addictive and can cause a number of health problems including: high blood pressure, obesity and organ damage. If you don't drink, research shows that it's better not to start. If you drink only in moderation, good for you.

If you are considering taking up alcohol specifically to lower your blood pressure, please let me suggest that you don't. Instead, you should try my all natural High Blood Pressure program. This is a non-addictive, healthy approach to lowering blood pressure with proven results. If weight loss is your goal, I encourage you to try my Weight Loss Breeze Program. - 31820

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