What type of red wine is good for your heart

It has also been found to have high levels of resveratrol, so you still get the heart boosting benefits. Resveratrol has also been shown to slow down age-related cognitive decline thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties.

This is the same reason it has further been linked to easing join pain and even suppressing cancer cells. In addition to Pinot Noir and Merlot, Cabernet or pretty much any other dry red also ranks quite high on the health scale. They all have fairly notable levels of resveratrol, while also keeping sugar levels low. Although there is less time for the skin to transfer antioxidants during the wine making process, it is definitely still preferable to white win in terms of health benefits.

If you want to enjoy health benefits from the wine you drink, sweet white wines, like Moscato or sweet Rieslings, should be avoided at all costs. These wines have no antioxidants and very high sugar levels. When it comes to antioxidant content, not all red wines are created equal. Many wine experts consider pinot noir to be the healthiest red wine because it contains the highest concentration of resveratrol. Pinot noir also contains fewer calories than other red wine varieties and may be less likely to cause heartburn thanks to its relatively low tannin content.

Frequently produced in southwestern France and Sardinia, Italy, this wine has high levels of a polyphenol called procyanidin that has been shown to provide cardiovascular benefit. Leroy Creasy, PhD, a professor emeritus in the Department of Horticulture at Cornell University, measured the resveratrol content in different red wines. He advises avoiding big wineries because their wine is typically produced by chemists who may mellow out the wine to shorten aging time—a process that reduces resveratrol.

Look for wines from traditional or boutique wineries instead or, even better, organic wineries. The newer the wine , the higher its antioxidant content. Save the good stuff for special occasions and pick a recently bottled wine to reap more cardiovascular benefits.

When the aforementioned Dr. Creasy was evaluating red wines, he found that all the wine varieties from New York—not just pinot noir—were high in resveratrol. Grapes grown in regions far from the equator are exposed to more ultraviolet light and humidity, both of which help polyphenols multiply. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below.

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Show references Tangney CC, et al. Cardiovascular benefits and risks of moderate alcohol consumption. Accessed Sept. Mukamal KJ. Overview of the risks and benefits of alcohol consumption. Bonow RO, et al. Nutrition and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Saunders Elsevier; Heart-healthy eating. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Alcohol and heart health. American Heart Association. Diaz-Gerevini GT, et al. Beneficial action of resveratrol: How and why? Sahebkar A, et al. Lack of efficacy of resveratrol on C-reactive protein and selected cardiovascular risk factors — Results from a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. International Journal of Cardiology. Novelle MG, et al. Resveratrol supplementation: Where are we now and where should we go?