You come home late Friday night after work. As you are kicking off your dress shoes and undoing your tie, you settle into your recliner. Your spouse, a knowing partner, already has a glass of red wine from your basement wine cellar at the ready. You take a long, slow sip and breathe a sigh of relief.
We all know that, at the end of a long day, there is nothing more relaxing than settling down with a glass of wine. Your friends might tease you by saying that a glass of wine is necessary for your mental health and wellbeing. However, if you naturally reach for a glass of red wine, you are also reaping many benefits for your physical health that you may not have previously been aware of.
Below we will examine two of the main benefits of consuming red wine, and other ways to achieve these benefits if drinking red wine isn’t exactly your style. We will also look at your options for storing your wine, and how you can achieve the highest quality flavors through storage conditions as well as food pairings.
Increasing Your Polyphenol Consumption
Polyphenols, found in high numbers within red wine, can be extremely beneficial for your physical health. Research has shown that these powerful antioxidants are efficient at lowering blood pressure, reversing cell damage, and lowering your risk for health issues.
The science behind the benefits of polyphenols shows that they can reduce inflammation, even that of the chronic type. They can also lower your blood pressure, keeping your heart’s vessels healthy. Both of these factors lower your risk for heart disease.
In addition to this, polyphenols can aid in controlling your blood sugar and insulin levels. This results in a decreased chance of developing diseases such as obesity and diabetes.
Immunity is crucial in order to keep your body running properly. Polyphenols can increase this immunity, and prevent your body from contracting contagious diseases. They also support good digestion, helping you to have a balanced gastrointestinal system.
Lowering Your Cholesterol Levels
Another high-quality component that can be found in most types of red wine is resveratrol. This chemical has been found to lower the LDL cholesterol in your bloodstream. Also known as "bad" cholesterol, LDL cholesterol almost always benefits from being lowered. Lower rates of this bad cholesterol can result in having a lessened risk of stroke and heart attack.
How to Store Your Red Wine
At this point, we can all agree upon one fact: drinking red wine is helpful for aiding in keeping your body healthy. So, with all of the red wine you’re going to be drinking, where can you store it? Luckily for you, we have just the solution.
It is our professional pleasure to build and design custom wine cellars. And, where better to store your red (and other) wines than in a wine cellar built just for you? Our design team will help you to craft a blueprint for your wine cellar that will not only satisfy your taste in decor but will add to the value of your home and impress your friends and family as well.
Once you have your wine cellar, how exactly should your red wine be stored? A dark and dry place is the most ideal location in which to store your red wine. The darkness will keep light from affecting the taste of the wine, and the dry storage area will keep the integrity of your red wine’s flavors intact.
If you cannot achieve these conditions naturally, consider wrapping each bottle of wine in a dark-coloured cloth that will absorb light. When choosing a cabinet, be sure it has solid (or UV resistant) doors.
How to Consume Your Red Wine
While all wines have slightly varying palettes, there are a few meals that go particularly well with red wines. Boldly flavored meats such as red meat pair quite well with most types of red wine. You can also choose a salad, lamb, or even mushrooms to enjoy with your wine.
Red wine tends to go well with almost anything, but these food pairings will bring out the intensity of the flavors. Be sure that, if you are drinking your wine for the health benefits, you aren’t eating too many fatty foods that could cancel out any positive health results.
Out of Red Wine? Other Options
Let’s say you are an avid drinker of whiskey. Red wine just doesn’t bring you pleasure in the same way. Or, maybe you choose not to drink alcohol altogether. That’s completely fair. However, you still want to increase your polyphenols in order to help your heart stay healthy. How can you do so?
Luckily for you, this seemingly magical micronutrient can be found in many other common foods and drinks. Most often consumed through fruits or vegetables (but also existing in certain teas and spices), polyphenols mostly abound in plants.
Increase the presence of cocoa powder and dark chocolate (who doesn’t love chocolate?), berries and other fruits, and beans or nuts in your diet to reap the benefits of polyphenols pumping through your body. If you would rather drink your diet, green and black tea also both contain multitudes of this antioxidant. And, not only would the polyphenol consumption benefit your heart, but the increase in water would bring about great health benefits as well.
Don’t W(h)ine About It!
At the end of the day, we know that your goal in life is to be happy and healthy. While these two concepts seem simple in theory, they can be difficult to obtain and maintain. Having a glass or two of red wine at the end of a long day is just the way to help you keep your happiness and health in check. And, if you need a cellar in which to store it, our custom wine cellars are just the place to start. Contact us today to learn more!
