As I have been recovering from a cold the past few days, I have consequently been having much more green tea than wine. I do look forward to the day my cough subsides, and I am able to enjoy a brimming glass once again. I hope it’s tomorrow (fingers crossed).
As I began to ponder the somewhat “mystical” health benefits of drinking green tea, I realized that its therapeutic qualities stem (pun intended) from one of the same sources that makes red wine an arguable health asset: the antioxidants.
Well, this is certainly nothing new. Resveratrol, the antioxidant found in the skin and stems of grapes used in red wine, is also commonly seen in tea. So what?
I realize there are still lingering questions about the health benefits of antioxidants, and that there are even warnings about an overconsumption. If, however, I may be allowed to hold the largely followed belief, that antioxidants retard the destruction or damaging of cells commonly caused through oxidation, thus aiding in the prevention of certain diseases and ailments- I may be on my way to a thesis.
Without sounding overly conservative, I want to mention that I am a large supporter of the avant garde in science and medicine. I believe most of us can agree that the 20th century ushered in a new age of sanitation, medicine, and knowledge of how to treat and prevent many afflictions that baffled mankind in the past.
That said, I believe many are making some of the most ill-informed health choices ever. Could it be that the healthiest, best foods and drinks for us to ingest are centuries (or even millennia) old? Forget about antioxidants: we knew merely from observation that people in France who had a much higher fat and wine consumption than the rest of the world were living significantly longer. Do we need electrolytes in our water; water that has satisfied the thirst (not hydrated… NOT HYDRATED) of nearly every creature to have existed on Earth? Here’s a two-parter: What is phenylalynene? And if you don’t know, do you really want to?
I’m not saying that I need to know what the cow had for dinner whose milk I drank. I’m merely presenting an idea: the simpler and the older the drink, the better. I think I could be quite satisfied with water, wine, and tea. Here’s an article from Men’s Health that breaks down the risks and benefits of some common beverage choices:
An intersting fact that should be noted is that research has just recently shown that alcohol consumption, even small amounts, is linked to various forms of cnacer in women, and apparently, the form of alcohol doesn’t matter. The article I read, which I will find and post in another comment, stated that the risk of these cancers in women is greater than the cardiovascular benefits provided by a glass of wine a day.
Here is a link to the article that I had read.
http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-02-27-voa3.cfm
Hopefully more research will disprove this research, but for the time being, this is important information that all who love a glass of wine, or any other drink for that matter, should be made aware of.