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Last Updated: Dec 14, 2019
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Red Wine: Is It Really As Good As Hitting The Gym?

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Dt. Ms. Malika Kabra RathiDietitian/Nutritionist • 16 Years Exp.Msc - Clinical Nutrition
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All wine lovers, behold. A recent study has found that red wine contains a compound called resveratrol which has similar health benefits of exercising or gymming. However, before you give up gymming and turn to a wine cellar, let’s delve deeper into this.

The actual study involved a control group of rats which were supplemented with resveratrol. The rats were then forced to run on a treadmill for days. The results showed that rats who had consumed resveratrol ran faster and longer than rats who did not have resveratrol. The rats that were induced with resveratrol had greater energy and glucose levels.

The health benefits of red wine are well known to all slimming your waistline, protecting against dementia and cancer, anti-aging, effective mouthwash and more. And now added to these benefits, red wine is also proven to boost heart rate, thereby increasing our ability to physically exert more. Even though it is an alcoholic beverage, red wine indeed is an elixir when consumed in moderation.

But, before you jump on the bandwagon, below are outline some important conclusions of the recent study conducted:

Conclusions of the Study at a Glance

  1. The study was done on animals and it can be debatable if it can apply to humans as well. It is not really sure if animal studies can actually predict human reactions.
  2. The rats were supplemented with huge doses of resveratrol equivalent to one full bottle of red wine. Consuming a whole bottle of red wine will add to more sugar and calories and outweigh the weight loss benefits of red wine.
  3. Resveratrol can also be found in grapes, peanuts with skin, dark colored berries and dark chocolate etc. So, rather than gulping down a whole bottle of red wine, why not try these alternatives. This might be a more healthy way to consume resveratrol and enjoy its proven benefits.
  4. Resveratrol can help patients who are physically incapable of doing exercises. This magical compound, if supplemented in the right way can mimic exercise for such people and provide benefits for them.
  5. As the old saying goes, if something is too good to be true, then it probably is. The health benefits of red wine are abundant, but when it comes down to this study it is really not clear if does it really provide its proven benefits.


This study tends to focus more on people who are unable to get their workout done due to physical inabilities. If you are able to physically work out well, then go for it! There is nothing close to the real benefits of working out.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

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