We’ ve often heard that a glass of wine a day can reduce the risk of heart disease, especially for middle-aged and older adults. In fact, international comparisons show that there is a lower prevalence of heart disease in“ wine drinking countries” than found in“ beer drinking countries.” This might be because wine, specifically red wine, contains antioxidants and polyphenols. One polyphenol in particular, resveratrol is credited with reducing inflammation and damaging chemicals in the body. Although alcohol itself thins the blood and helps blood vessels expand, resveratrol is thought to add an extra punch in helping prevent blood clots, relax blood vessel walls, and prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, otherwise known as the bad cholesterol. It may even protect skin from harmful UV rays! One five-ounce glass of wine also contains about 187 mg of potassium, which is about four percent of your daily intake, and it only adds up to about 125 calories.

The down side of wine is that most of these effects only come from red wine, meaning those who are partial to white wine are out of luck. There are also some conflicting studies suggesting that there is no real link between resveratrol consumption and the reduction of cardiovascular disease, and that other lifestyle choices may contribute to the lower prevalence of heart disease found in wine countries. So it’ s really anyone’ s guess as to how much benefit you’ re actually getting. What is a proven fact is that all wine, regardless of

color, will erode tooth enamel because of its high acidity.

You might not hear it very often, but beer actually contains a fair share of polyphenols too. Often coined as“ liquid bread,” beer offers a surprising amount of nutritional benefits that outweigh those of wine, including having more selenium, B vitamins, phosphorus, folate, and niacin. Because beer is derived from wheat and barley, it has a significant amount of protein and fiber, and it may contain the same prebiotic properties of wheat, which help nourish the good bacteria in our gut. In fact, the hops in beer can help treat restlessness, anxiety and sleep disturbances.

International comparisons show that there is a lower prevalence of heart disease in“ wine drinking countries” than there is in“ beer drinking countries.”

Unfortunately, beer’ s bread-like qualities also means it packs a lot more carbs than wine. It still has a lower carb count than actual bread, but it contains significantly more than its wine counterpart. A standard five ounce glass of wine has around one or two grams of carbs, while one 12-ounce bottle of 5 % alcohol beer contains between 10 or 20 grams of carbs, which amounts to 40 to 80 extra calories. If you venture into the world of craft beers, the carb and calorie counts only grow. The common misconception is that craft beers are healthier because they are made with natural, grain-based sugars and few synthetic additives. Many craft beers, however, tend to have a higher alcohol content and a higher hop content, which adds up to more calories. One bottle of craft beer can be anywhere from 300 to 500 calories!

Despite the higher calorie count, if it’ s a contest of nutrients, then beer is still the clear winner. But before you go guzzling a few bottles, it’ s worth noting that you might not be absorbing much of those nutrients. The thing about all alcohol is that it isn’ t digested like food. Instead, it passes directly through the walls of the lining of your stomach and small intestine into your bloodstream. This means that there’ s no guarantee that your body is absorbing much of what you’ re putting in. Eating food may slow the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream and thereby increase the chances of getting these nutrients, but again, there’ s no real guarantee.

Regardless of which side you’ re on in the booze debate, both beer and wine have the potential to help lower the risk of heart disease. The key, oddly enough, is consistency. One or two 5 ounce glasses of wine or a few 12-ounce servings of 5 % alcohol beer just may help keep the doctor away. Of course, you should always beware of overdoing it. Excessive alcohol consumption can damage the liver and sometimes cause fatal alcohol poisoning. And while resveratrol and vitamins and minerals in your alcohol is definitely a bonus, you won’ t get nearly as much as you would by eating whole grains, grapes, blueberries, and raspberries.

CRYSTAL HAN is a freelance writer and artist. She graduated from San José State University with a BFA in Animation / Illustration and is an aspiring novelist, currently working on two books.

GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN MARCH / APRIL 2017 gmhtoday. com

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