Red Wine Found To Aid Digestive Health

Photo by krossbow on Flickr

If you want to get some probiotic action going on inside of you & promote digestive health, you don't have to reach for yogurt -- just down some red wine.

I love these articles about how red wine can be a health aid, especially when there's some science to back those claims up. A recent study has demonstrated that red wine -- both with and without alcohol -- promotes growth of "good" intestinal flora, as well as reducing proteins that promote inflammation and lowering blood pressure. In the same study, gin was also found to help with digestion, but to a much less extent.

These findings may not be that surprising -- wine, like yogurt, is fermented, and apparently rich in probiotic micro-organisms that help our digestive system process food. But are the risks associated with regular wine imbibing worth the benefit?

Doctors, when I discuss this topic with them in relation to heart health (which red wine is also linked to), often give me the hairy eyeball when I suggest the drink might be part of my overall health regimen. But I would imagine that there must be a way to isolate, and concentrate into some sort of beverage or supplement, the beneficial aspects of red wine for cardiovascular and digestive systems

Via NYT