Here’s Our Top 3 Healthiest Types of Wine, According to Dietitians

It might come as a shock (or not so much), but our country has been consuming considerably more alcohol during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether it’s been due to boredom, relaxation after a long day with the kids or just a nice way to end the day with our partners, that glass of wine now really feels tastier than ever.

A recent report published in the journal JAMA Network Open showed that American adults are drinking 14% more often this pandemic. Interestingly enough, researchers noticed an increase in drinking frequency amongst women, as they reported drinking 17% more often than last year.

We must note that the study participants’ ages range between 30 and 80 years old, so part of the increased drinking habits may be due to the pandemic-induced stress and busy lifestyle. After all, let’s be honest: we all feel like we’ve had enough of home-schooling, loneliness or social distancing sometimes.

That’s most likely why almost all study participants said they’ve chosen to enjoy alcohol more frequently to relax. In fact, the company Nielsen states that stores have generally sold 54% more alcohol in March 2020 compared to the year prior. New York, Florida and Texas have even gone as far as relaxing their laws on alcohol delivery during the pandemic.

 

Is wine good for you?

All this increase in alcohol consumption may seem concerning at first sight, but it’s actually a good thing – at least if you prefer to drink wine. Aside from being delicious, this beverage has some truly amazing properties that boost your long-term health such as:

• This compound is one of your top allies for a strong immunity; antioxidants can eliminate toxic free radicals from your body, which can destroy healthy cells and increase your long-term risk for various cancers. If you want more info on this topic, we’ve got it all covered in this post right here.
• Anti-inflammatory. Chronic inflammation can increase your risk of heart disease, cancer and other dangerous conditions big time; thankfully, you can prevent or reduce its negative effects by consuming certain foods and beverages. As this study suggests, wine can trigger an anti-inflammatory response in your body, thus keeping you healthy.
• Promoting heart health. Wine contains high amounts of polyphenol antioxidants, which are known for reducing the risks of hypertension and high cholesterol. Furthermore, this study has found that drinking red wine might even reduce your long-term risks of heart disease by decreasing high blood pressure.

In conclusion, wine can be a healthy way to end a busy day and relax with your loved ones. However, not every wine provides the same benefits – in fact, some options are so heavily modified with artificial ingredients that they may do more harm than good.

So how do we know which wines are healthy and which aren’t? With experts’ help, we managed to make a top 3 healthiest types of wine you can enjoy in 2021, so let’s have a look.

 

Top 3 healthiest wines

 

1. No-sugar (or low-sugar) wines

When choosing an alcoholic beverage, most people are looking at the alcohol by volume (ABV) first. With wines, this one can range from 5.5% to a whopping 20% (if you want to party!).

However, nutrition expert Frances Largeman-Roth explains that the ABV has nothing to do with how much sugar your wine contains. In fact, certain wines low in ABV can have plenty of artificial sugars added, so you should always double-check the label before purchase.

Mia Syn, MS, RDN, says that if you’re aiming to reduce your calorie intake, white and dry sparkling wines are some of the best choices due to their (generally) low sugar content. Moscato and port, on the other hand, might contain additional residual sugar, which is a no-no in this case.

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