Time to raise your glasses, wine lovers: It’s National Drink Wine Day!
If you want to get your vino on today, you don’t have to feel guilty either. Studies have shown that moderate consumption of wine can lower risk for liver disease, type II diabetes, heart attack, stroke and certain types of cancers. Wine can also reduce LDL, or bad, cholesterol while increasing HDL, or good, cholesterol.
However, some wines offer more health benefits than others. If you want to get your vino on while still reaping the healthy rewards, you’ll want to reach for a red wine. Not sure which one to pick? According to HealthyFitSmart.com, the five wines below offer the best health benefits.
Pinot Noir
A light-to-medium red that often tastes like cherry and cranberry offers the highest concentration of resveratrol. According to the Mayo Clinic, resveratrol helps prevent damage to blood vessels, reduces LDL cholesterol and prevents blood clots.
Cabernet Sauvignon
This dry red is loaded with healthy flavinoids, particularly procyanidins, which reduce inflamation and help prevent blood clots. Several studies have even linked wines with high concentrations of procyanidins with higher longevity.
Madiran
Also high in procyanidins, Madiran wines help you reap all the anti-inflamation, blood-clot preventing benefits of Cabernet, but come from a different grape, called Tannat grapes. Plus, Tannat grapes are high in the polyphenol tannin, which can help fight off bacterial infections.
Merlot
A medium-bodied red is high in resveratrol, Merlot is a healthy wine for just about any meal. Plus, it pairs well with both dark and light meat.
Syrahs
If you want all the health benefits of procyanidins but prefer a wine that goes best with lamb or beef, reach for a glass of this complex red.
