I’m sure Josée was smiling ear to ear when she saw this study, as she was most likely sipping a glass of wine herself at the time. This one’s for you Josee!
We already know that drinking wine (in moderation), especially as part of a Mediterranean diet, can provide protective benefits against heart disease, some types of cancer and neurological degenerative disorders like dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. Earlier this year, we were thrilled when researchers found that red wine can help women maintain their weight. Now, I’m happy to report that new research gives us yet another reason to sit back and enjoy a nice glass of vino.
“A large prospective study of 5033 men and women in the Tromsø Study in northern Norway has reported that moderate wine consumption is independently associated with better performance on cognitive tests.” The participants were followed over 7 years and researchers found that women who consumed “wine at least 4 or more times over two weeks in comparison with those who drink < 1 time during this period” had a lower risk of getting a poor test score. These effects are most likely due to the fact that wine (especially red) is rich in polyphenols (powerful antioxidants) and other nutrients that may help reduce the risk of cognitive decline that comes along with aging.
Josée used to always talk about how drinking wine was about the “experience” of it. Sipping a nice glass of wine while enjoying the people, the food and the relaxed state of mind all work synergistically to improve wellness. It’s not (and I quote her) “sitting at a bar after work pounding sweet martini concoctions and stopping at the drive thru afterwards.” I think the researchers might have been on the same wavelength when they stated “moderate people do things in moderation”, pointing out that "a positive effect of wine...could also be due to confounders such as socio-economic status and more favorable dietary and other lifestyle habits."
I think they’re both right!
What do you think? Or better yet…what’s your favorite wine?
- Lauren
Reminder: “Moderation” is defined as up to 1 drink for a day women and up to 2 drinks a day for men.
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References
NUTRITION HORIZON: Moderate Drinking, Especially Wine, Associated with Better Cognitive Function Labels: healthy tips, Lauren, Recent Research
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Well Thank You Lauren,
I saw that study too and was going to write about it, but you beat me to it. Actually I just came back from a couple days in the Var region in Provence, just 2 hours west of here (Cagnes-sur-Mer)next to St-Tropez. We drove thru wineries and olive groves to reach the beach. How cool is that? I drank some excellent Côte de Provence, red and rosé. Most of the time we assume that Côte de Provence only produces rosé wines, but I had some great reds too. I will post some pictures this week-end about this beautiful region. As you say; moderation is the key. Santé Josée