As a non-drinker, sometimes it bums me out when I come across information about the benefits of red wine. The purported benefits span a wide range of claims from reduced risk of heart disease, to lower instance of Alzheimer’s Disease, to anti-aging properties. Are my efforts towards leading a healthy life actually counterproductive?
Well, yes and no.
Red wine is praised for it’s antioxidants, which happen to be abundant in real food.
| Antioxidant | Health benefits | Food sources |
| Selenium | Helps maintain healthy hair and nails, enhances immunity, works with vitamin E to protect cells from damage. Reduces the risk of cancer, particularly lung, prostate, and colorectal. | Garlic, seeds, Brazil nuts, meat, eggs, poultry, seafood, whole grains. The amount in plant sources varies according to the content of the soil. |
| Beta-carotene | Keeps skin healthy, helps prevent night blindness and infections, promotes growth and bone development. | Red, yellow-orange, and leafy green vegetables and fruits, including carrots, apricots, cantaloupe, peppers, tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin. |
| Vitamin E | Acts as the protector of essential fats in cell membranes and red blood cells. Reduces risk of cancer, heart disease, and other age-associated diseases. | Peanut butter, nuts, seeds, vegetable oils and margarine, wheat germ, avocado, whole grains, salad dressings. |
| Vitamin C | Destroys free radicals inside and outside cells. Helps in the formation of connective tissue, the healing of wounds, and iron absorption, and also helps to prevent bruising and keep gums healthy. May reduce risk of cataracts, heart disease, and cancer. | Peppers, tomatoes, citrus fruits and juices, berries, broccoli, spinach, cabbage, potatoes, mango, papaya. |
Enter Embodi:
Although I often find it difficult to talk about products that push health claims, Embodi seems like a winner to me. I have tried it a few times, and it’s a nice step down in sweetness from most commercial fruit juices (which are often extremely sugary). And even though it’s healthy, it still tastes good!
In the end, I’m torn: because I drink water almost exclusively, I normally wouldn’t buy this type of product. I eat real food, so I should be getting plenty of antioxidants, right? Certainly, all you non-wine-drinkers out there, and anyone who currently goed out of their way to get antioxidants (in grape, pomegranate, or cranberry juice - all of which have fewer antioxidants than Embodi) should take a look at Embodi.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Yum - I bet it’s good with vodka shots! Thanks for introducing a new product to my cocktail hour!
How interesting! Love the chart–and even as a drinker, nice to know those health benefits can come from other sources!