Many people don’t know all these things about wine!

Autumn is the season for grape harvest. Grapes can not only be eaten as fruits, but also made into delicious wine.

Although there are many wines on the market now, some people still insist on making their own wine, believing that the wine they make is the safest and most delicious. Some people drink wine simply because they like its mellow taste, while others drink wine because they have heard that drinking wine is good for the body.

In this article, we will talk about the 8 things that people are most concerned about regarding wine.

01

Is Homemade Wine Healthier?

The Chinese people have been brewing wine for more than 3,000 years, and some people still insist on brewing wine. However, there may be health risks in brewing wine, such as the common problem of excessive methanol, which can be harmful to health if consumed frequently.

China's "GB/T 15037-2006 Wine" clearly stipulates that the methanol content of red wine must be ≤ 400 mg/L, and the content of white and rosé wine must be ≤ 250 mg/L. Regular manufacturers will test the relevant indicators before the wine leaves the factory, but home-brewed wine does not have the conditions for testing, and the methanol content may exceed the standard.

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In 2015, researchers collected six types of homemade wines from the public and used gas chromatography to detect and analyze the methanol content. The results showed that the methanol content in all six types of homemade wines exceeded the standard, with the highest content exceeding the standard by 1.6 times. [1]

In addition, home-brewed wine may also have problems such as excessive pesticide residues in raw materials, unhygienic environment, numerous bacteria, and incomplete disinfection of containers . Many people also use plastic barrels to store wine, which can cause toxic compounds in the plastic, such as phthalates, to seep into the wine[2], endangering health.

Therefore, homemade wine may pose potential health risks to the body. If you want to drink it, it is recommended to buy it from regular manufacturers.

02

Is drinking wine good for your blood vessels?

There is a rumor that drinking wine is good for blood vessels, because there is a study showing that drinking wine moderately can increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

High-density lipoprotein cholesterol is a "good cholesterol" that is beneficial to the health of blood vessels. It helps to lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, also known as "bad cholesterol," in blood vessels, thereby reducing the risk of coronary heart disease.

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However, the "Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Dyslipidemia in Chinese Adults (2016 Revised Edition)" clearly states: Although moderate drinking can increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, even small amounts of drinking can further increase triglyceride levels in patients with hypertriglyceridemia, which is not conducive to cardiovascular health.

Therefore, you cannot expect to maintain good blood vessels by drinking wine.

03

Can drinking wine lower blood pressure?

There are many studies on the effects of drinking wine on blood pressure. Although animal experiments have found that red wine polyphenols can improve endothelial cell function and lower blood pressure, the results of human clinical trials on the effects of red wine polyphenols on blood pressure are inconsistent.

In a double-blind experiment involving 61 people, researchers had the subjects drink two different doses of red wine polyphenol drinks and a placebo and observed them for four weeks. The results showed that different doses of red wine polyphenols did not significantly lower blood pressure. [3]

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Another study showed that both red wine and beer increased blood pressure in healthy men, but only dealcoholized red wine did not increase blood pressure. [4]

In addition, China's "Guidelines for Primary Diagnosis and Treatment of Hypertension (2019)" states that patients with hypertension should not drink alcohol or limit their drinking, including wine. If they really want to drink, the daily intake should not exceed 100 ml.

04

Can drinking wine supplement resveratrol?

Some people say that wine contains resveratrol, which is a polyphenol compound that protects cells from damage, prevents diabetes, reduces the risk of cancer, and protects the heart. Most studies on resveratrol are limited to animal experiments, and there is less data in human experiments. The optimal dose of resveratrol has not yet been determined in human studies.

Some studies have mentioned that the effective dose of resveratrol for animals can be extrapolated to humans, and the effective dose for humans is 1 gram/day.

During the wine production process, the resveratrol content is affected by various factors, including temperature, pH value, etc. [5] Data show that the resveratrol concentration of red wine is 0.361-1.972 mg/L. Based on this data, if you want to consume 1 gram of resveratrol per day by drinking red wine, you need to drink hundreds of bottles of red wine.

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It can be said very clearly: this amount is extremely unhealthy and no one can drink it!

Besides, resveratrol is not only found in wine, but also in grapes, apples, blueberries, plums, and peanuts!

05

Can drinking wine help you lose weight?

A study published in the American journal "Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry" once stated that ellagic acid in wine may help inhibit fat metabolism and help with weight loss.

In vitro cell experiments and animal experiments have shown that ellagic acid can play a unique lipid-lowering role in adipose tissue and liver [6]. However, this cannot be directly applied to the human body, and does not mean that drinking wine directly can also inhibit fat metabolism.

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Besides, whether you can lose weight also depends on your total calorie intake. 1 gram of alcohol contains 7 kilocalories. Most wines contain not only alcohol but also added sugar, and the calories are not low. Drinking too much will also make you fat.

However, if you can stick to the Mediterranean diet, it will be very helpful for weight loss. The diet should be mainly plant-based, with whole grains, beans, vegetables, fruits, nuts, etc.; eat fish, poultry, eggs and dairy products in moderation, and eat less red meat; the main cooking oil is olive oil, and drink red wine in moderation. [7]

06

Does wine have to be stored upside down?

Many people will find that wine collectors usually store their wines flat on the racks instead of standing them upright.

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This is because wine is sealed with a cork, and storing it flat and upside down allows the wine to soak into the cork, preventing the cork from drying out and shrinking, and preventing air from entering and causing the wine to oxidize.[8]

However, in addition to corks, wines now also have screw caps on the outside, which are very airtight and do not need to worry about oxygen entering. Therefore, wines with screw caps purchased nowadays can be stored either horizontally or upright. [9]

In addition, when storing wine, it is also necessary to keep it away from light and at a low temperature to avoid the production of sulfur odors.

Summarize:

Wine has a rich and mellow taste with a long aftertaste. However, although it tastes good, you should not drink too much. According to the recommendations in the "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents", both men and women should not exceed 15 grams of alcohol per day, which is equivalent to 150 ml of wine with an alcohol content of 12% VOL.

References:

[1] Zhang Guangfang, Zeng Guifeng, Zeng Lingwen. Detection and analysis of methanol and miscellaneous alcohols in home-brewed wine[J]. China Food Additives, 2016(05):141-146.

[2] Liu Xiufeng, Chen Dongwan, Lü Jinchang, Gao Peng, Li Yongjin, Yang Dajin. Detection of 18 phthalate plasticizers in some commercially available liquors in Beijing[J]. Chinese Journal of Health Laboratory Technology, 2016, 26(03): 347-349.

[3] Luo Dongmei, Ye Peng. Red wine polyphenols do not reduce peripheral blood pressure or central arterial pressure in patients with high normal blood pressure and hypertension[J]. Chinese Journal of Hypertension, 2012, 20(11): 1098. DOI: 10.16439/j.cnki.1673-7245.2012.11.029.

[4]Okla M, Kang I, Kim DM, et al. Ellagic acid modulates lipid accumulation in primary human adipocytes and human hepatoma Huh7 cells via discrete mechanisms. J Nutr Biochem. 2015;26(1):82-90. doi:10.1016/j.jnutbio.2014.09.010

[5]Sabine Weiskirchen, Ralf Weiskirchen, Resveratrol: How Much Wine Do You Have to Drink to Stay Healthy?, Advances in Nutrition, Volume 7, Issue 4, July 2016, Pages 706–718, https://doi.org/10.3945/an.115.011627

[6]Meshail Okla, Inhae Kang, Da Mi Kim, Vishnupriya Gourineni, Neil Shay, Liwei Gu, Soonkyu Chung. Ellagic acid modulates lipid accumulation in primary human adipocytes and human hepatoma Huh7 cells via discrete mechanisms. The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 2015; 26 (1): 82-90.

[7] Wang Youfa. Expert consensus on the prevention and treatment of obesity among Chinese residents [J/OL]. Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine: 1-19 [2022-08-25]. DOI: 10.16506/j.1009-6639.2022.05.001.

[8] Harold Mackey, author. Translated by Cai Chengzhi. Food and Cooking. Pasta, Sauces, Desserts, Beverages. Beijing Fine Arts Photography Publishing House. 2013.8

[9] Written by Nathan Myhrvold, Chris Young, and Maxime Billet; Photographed by Ryan Matthew Smith and Nathan Myhrvold; Translated by the Modernist Cooking Translation Team. Modernist Cooking: The Art and Science of Cooking, Volume 4: Ingredients and Preparation [M]. Beijing: Beijing Fine Arts Photography Publishing House, September 2016.

Author | Xue Qingxin, member of Chinese Nutrition Society, registered nutrition technician, health manager, public nutritionist

Review | Gao Chao, Researcher, Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention

This article is produced by the Science Popularization China-Creation Cultivation Program. Please indicate the source when reprinting