Social media channels have been buzzing this week with the news that a glass of red wine at night can actually help you lose weight. As stories go, it is one guaranteed to produce an eye catching headline that will stick in your mind and make you feel better about curling up on the sofa last thing with a cheeky vino. But as with any news story, there is more to it than a glance at the headline tells you; knowing the facts is at least as important as knowing what your preferred variety of wine is.
The good news is that drinking red wine in moderation can have some health benefits. Red wine contains polyphenols and particular antioxidants that seem to reduce incidence of heart disease and cancer. Moderate drinking may reduce the rate of heart disease in men over 40 and post-menopausal women, with moderate deemed to be around 3 units a day as an absolute maximum. In younger people however, there are no evidenced health benefits associated with this type of drinking, particularly as they are not yet at risk of heart disease.
So can a glass of wine help you lose weight? It is a story to be treated with caution, not least because while it would be lovely to imagine the red wine eating up some body fat for us, this is sadly not entirely the case. However, some studies seem to show that wine can raise levels of the ‘good’ HDL cholesterol and others that red wine may have benefits in helping to metabolise glucose and possibly even fat; there is also another school of thought that advocates the psychological benefits of a glass of wine.
Supporters of a nightly tipple say that looking forward to a bedtime glass of wine helps them stay strong through the day and enjoy their measured alcoholic treat later on. Mentally they benefit because they don’t feel deprived and have a reason to be ‘good’ all day so they can sit down and enjoy their last minute luxury. A glass of wine, while only having a similar number of calories to a bar of chocolate, tends to be consumed more slowly and is part of a relaxing end to the day that helps us unwind ready for a night’s sleep.
As with most things, the key to success is probably moderation; used sensibly and as part of a balanced diet, a glass of wine is far from the worst reward for a day of sensible eating and may have health benefits too. Unfortunately having 3 glasses of wine a night is unlikely to turn you into a size zero model and if you use it to wash down the late night munchies, it most certainly won’t!
Last updated on 23/05/2015.