There are undoubtedly reasons to make sure that you're not drinking too much alcohol, however, it turns out that having wine each day might not be the big guilty pleasure that you think it is. For some people, it could be a good thing to enjoy a glass of red wine, which can be quite beneficial when it comes to its anti-aging effects.

"The mechanism is the antioxidants in red wine," Richard Baxter, MD, told WebMD. "Antioxidants sop up damaging free radicals that play a role in aging and age-related diseases. In fact, Dr. Baxter was bold enough to say: "Drinking a glass of red wine a day is the single most important thing that you can do other than nonsmoking, from an anti-aging point of view."

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"Although injections and creams are the best known anti-aging weapons, I'm here to tell you red wine is the real deal," says Nataly Komova, RD, nutritionist and fitness expert for JustCBD. "A glass of red wine pumps antioxidants including tannin, flavonoid, and resveratrol into our bodies, correcting the collagen and elastic fibers deficit."

Why is that helpful? "Sufficient collagen and elastic fibers help fight age-related diseases, allowing you to look younger," says Komova.

While that's already impressive, Rebecca Schilling, RDN, LDN at USA Rx, also says,"Red wine is recommended in popular science-based diets such as the MIND diet and the Mediterranean diet" due to the fact that it "has a high polyphenol content, which provides the desired anti-inflammatory effect we seek for slowing the aging process."

Beyond that, Dr. Rashmi Byakodi, a health and wellness writer and editor of Best for Nutrition says thatresearch has shown "resveratrol present in red wine prevents aging-related decline in cardiovascular function, including cholesterol level, and inflammatory response." Additionally, according to further research, "resveratrol at a particular range of concentration, inhibits apoptotic cell death, thereby providing protection from various diseases."

However, Schilling notes that there isn't enough evidence to suggest that non-drinkers start picking up the habit of drinking one glass of red wine a day. If you do already drink, Schilling stresses, "Moderation is key. Overconsumption of alcohol has the opposite effect you are seeking for anti-aging. My recommendation would be to keep it to a single glass of red wine at dinner time."

To find out more about why enjoying a little Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot at dinner can be a good idea, be sure to read 12 Surprising Health Benefits of Red Wine.

Excerpt from:
The #1 Best Wine for Anti-Aging, According to Dietitians Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That