4 Surprising Things In Wine That Can Affect Your Health

Devoted wine drinkers know exactly which bottle to pair with anything—from seafood and red meat to cheese and chocolate.

They may even be familiar with some of the key ingredients that give a certain type of wine its distinct flavor.

But, can you honestly say you know everything there is to know about wine?

There’s plenty of “wine lingo” on the back of every bottle, but the ingredients are pretty hard to decipher. Still, that doesn’t mean you can just ignore them.

Before you pour yourself a glass tonight, here are just a few terms you should get to know—and how they affect your body:

1. Sulfites: These essentially keep the wine from oxidation and bacterial growth, so you don’t end up opening a bottle of pure vinegar. A small percentage of wine drinkers have actually developed allergic reactions to sulfites, so it’s important to really pay attention to how you’re feeling after a few sips. Some people with asthma also report having worsened symptoms after drinking wine. If you think you might be allergic to the sulfites found in wine, keep an eye out for “sulfite-free” labels!
2. Resveratrol: Though this powerful antioxidant is found in the skin of grapes, there’s very little research to actually back up the idea that drinking the resveratrol in wine actually offers any real health benefits. So, if you’re hoping to get the same anti-aging effects that you would find in special serums from your nightly glass of wine, it might be time to look elsewhere. Still, if you want to load up on resveratrol just in case, there’s a higher concentration of this antioxidant in red wines versus white.
3. Organic & Biodynamic: Organic winemakers completely refrain from using any chemicals, sulfites, and pesticides in their wines. Biodynamic vintners are just like organic winemakers in the sense that they also start with these same organic practices. In addition, they take the whole ecosystem of the vineyard into consideration when growing their grapes, including strange factors like the lunar cycles.
4. Low-Alcohol: Wines with the phrase “low-alcohol” on the bottle generally mean they’re cheaper, lighter on taste, and lighter in calories. You will, however, get less drunk on a low-alcohol wine. This wine is perfect for a relaxing night, without overdoing it and ruining your diet.

Have you ever taken a look at these ingredients in wine? Tell us in the comments!

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