The Wine-Gut Connection You Need to Know About

Photo: Stocksy/Jayme Burrows
Anyone who's ever woken up with a wine hangover knows that too much booze is bad for the body. There's no denying that tossing back too many glasses can lead to some unpleasant digestive issues—and a throbbing headache. But, hey, everything in moderation right?

Research has shown that moderately drinking red wine in particular can be good for you (hello, antioxidants and resveratrol), and a new study published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition offers up a new reason to drink to your health: It may be majorly beneficial to your brain—via your gut.

When red wine passes through the gut, it leaves compounds that protect neurons from getting damaged or killed off.

They discovered that when red wine passes through the gut, it leaves compounds that protect neurons from getting damaged or killed off. And when the neurons are protected, there is less of a chance for developing conditions like Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. Yep, the mind-gut connection is real.

"It is very important to understand that certain food compounds are responsible for this health benefit in protecting against the onset of neurodegenerative diseases—no medication was involved," says Adelaida Esteban-Fernández, MD, a researcher involved in the study. "We now need to advance our understanding of the effect of diet in the promotion of normal brain function."

So, since there's still plenty of research that needs to be done: Anyone want to "test out" white, rose, and orange?

Don't forget: Wine-infused coffee now exists, too. And if you don't drink, kombucha is also good for your gut.

Loading More Posts...