For sure, some of you drink wine to cap-off the (work) week. Para sa ilan, malaking tulong ang wine para makapag-relax sa pagod o di kaya makapag- de-stress lalo na mula sa mga bagay-bagay na pinag-daanan natin ng mga nakaraang araw.
Sa mga ganitong moments, kadalasan natatanong sakin, “ok lang naman uminom ng wine diba? Tutal healthy naman…”
Indeed, red wine (and alcohol in general) have attracted great human interest as one of the “go-to recreational and relaxation” drinks. And because of the culture of drinking, researchers and medical experts have looked not only into the negative side-effects of excessive alcoholic beverage consumption but also to its potential benefits when consumed in moderation.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), IF ALCOHOL IS CONSUMED, it should be consumed in moderation. Moderate alcohol intake is equivalent to:
less than or equal to 2 standard drinks per day for men, and
less than or equal to 1 standard drink per day for women
1 STANDARD DRINK = 14g of pure ethanol (ethanol is the type of alcohol that is found in wine, beer, and spirits in varying amounts).
So kung ang napili ninyong drink— let’s say red wine , ay may 14% alcohol (by volume), ibig sabihin nito ay ito ay mayroon 14g of alcohol per 100ml. At ang 100ml ng wine na ito ay ang considered na 1 drink according to CDC guidelines . Ang 100ml ay di lalagpas sa 1/2 cup. But as we all know, karamihan sa mga mahilig sa red wine ay hindi naman talaga nakakasunod sa limit na ito.
Maraming nagsasabi na ang red wine ay “healthy” dahil sa mga BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS known as polyphenols, na meron ito tulad ng:
Quercetin: known as anti-hypertensive, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and has protective capabilities against ischemic heart disease (IHD)
Resveratrol: known to prevent damage in blood vessels, reduce LDL or “bad” cholesterol) and prevents blood clots.
Ngunit, sa kabila ng mga positive research findings tungkol sa alcohol intake, kailangan TANDAAN na… “most of these investigations, although involving large sample sizes with cross-cultural and geographical comparisons, were epidemiological. No consistent pattern of a specific type of alcoholic drink (wine, beer, or spirits) reducing the risk of IHD has been confirmed, rather a strong epidemiological accord that all alcoholic drinks are linked with a reduction in risk from IHD, IF NOT CONSUMED IN EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS, OR BINGED ON. (1)”
Meaning… ang positive correlations na nakita sa MODERATE intake ng alcoholic drinks at pag-baba ng risk sa cardio-vascular diseases (CVDs) sa mga taong umiinom ng alcoholic drinks na kabilang sa mga pag-aaral ay hindi nanganga-hulugan ng direct causation.
Sa kabilang banda, huwag natin kalimutan na kahit may “cardio-protective” benefits ang moderate consumption ng alcoholic drinks tulad ng red wine, ito parin ay linked sa alcoholic liver diseases, alcohol use disorder, and pancreatitis induced by alcohol.
PWEDE BA NA BINGE DRINKING NALANG PAG WEEKEND?
Alcohol is both a nutrient and a drug. Every gram of alcohol has 7kcal. (To know more about the calorie equivalents of various alcoholic drinks check out my previous article here).
Therefore, excessive intake of any type of alcoholic drinks, including red wine can easily lead to higher calorie/energy intake. In fact a study has concluded that “acute and sustained excessive consumption in the form of BINGE drinking is associated with arrhythmias (holiday heart syndrome), transient ischemic attack, and sudden cardiac death (2).
Hindi naman talaga kailangan na uminom ng mga alcoholic drinks, para makuha ang mga heart-health benefits na meron dito. Sa totoo lang, ang mga polyphenolic compounds na meron sa red wine and other alcoholic drinks ay maari din naman makuha sa tea, fruits, and vegetables.
But if you’re consuming red wine for the sake of keeping your sanity, then make sure to follow the guidelines mentioned to maximize benefits and minimize your risk for other lifestyle-related and metabolic diseases caused by excessive alcohol and overall calorie intake.
Sigurado ako na gusto niyo ng itanong kung ano naman ang calorie content ng ibang alcoholic drinks. Kaya hinanda ko narin ang infographics na ito.
REMINDER: High-risk individuals (alcoholics, pregnant or breastfeeding women, indIviduals on prescribed medications) are advised not to consume alcoholic drinks.
References: Circulation. 2017;136:1434–1448 Nat Rev Cardiol. 2015;12:576–587