Gather a group of women the French refer to as "of a certain age" together and the beverage poured will invariably be a full bodied Cabernet or crisp Pinot Grigio. According to several wine marketing agencies, in 2013, women purchased 55% of wine with baby boomers spending the most.
A Facebook group (and website) called Moms Who Love Wine has close to 700,000 likes.
Zazzle and Cafe Press sell a variety of tee shirts with images of wine glasses and slogans like "At My Age, I Need Glasses" or "Grandma's Sippy Cup."
Wine is much more socially acceptable than a vodka tonic or martini, dirty, two olives. Book clubs don't often enjoy a pitcher of margaritas along with the fro yo. Forty- to sixty-something women probably gather for wine tastings more often than at a whiskey bar.
You've no doubt heard of the French Paradox or the benefits of that nightly Cab or Merlot. Lots of chatter about resveratrol, an antioxidant found in the skins of red grapes. Since red wine is fermented with the skins, that glass of Pinot contains more resveratrol than your friend's Pinot Grigio.
Studies on lab mice have concluded positive cardiovascular benefits from the antioxidant, including an increase in high density lipoprotein (HDL or the "good cholesterol") and protection against artery damage. However, resveratrol is present in non-alcoholic sources like blueberries, grapes, and cranberries.
What is the risk vs. reward of that nightly Merlot? And what happens when that nightly glass is now half a bottle? Does frequent wine consumption pose a health risk for women at midlife?
Neither the American Heart Association nor the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommend adding wine to your daily routine to increase HDL. Andrew Weil, MD suggests moderate red wine consumption, green tea, and dark chocolate may have beneficial effects on cardiac health. But moderate is the operative word.
As defined in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, moderate alcohol consumption is one 5-ounce glass of wine, 1.5 ounces of hard liquor, or one 12-ounce beer per day. A bottle of wine would hold approximately seven glasses of five-ounce pours.
When we swing the consumption upward of that recommended limit, we may face a number of serious risks. Almost half of all liver disease can be attributed to cirrhosis of the liver. One in three liver transplants in the U.S. is due to alcohol related liver disease. Excessive alcohol consumption may raise the risk of a number of cancers including mouth, esophogus, larynx, pharynx, liver, and breast.
Alcohol usage may pose other risks including high blood pressure, increased triglycerides, obesity, and accidents. Over time, more than moderate consumption may lead to cardiomyopathy (stretched and weakened cardiac muscle), steatosis (fatty liver disease,) alcoholic hepatitis, pancreatitis, and surpressed immune system, according to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
A five-ounce glass of wine has approximately 124 calories. However, the effect of alcohol consumptoin on metabolism is not as simple as that. According to Dr. Pam M. Peeke, author of "The Hunger Fix," our bodies are unable to store calories from alcohol like we do with excess food. So, our bodies turn off the metabolic switch on that lunchtime Caesar salad or more likely, cheese plate. Peeke adds research has shown that alcohol may actually decrease abdominal fat burn, that pesky area most of us fight as we progress through the menopause cycle.
A daily glass of wine, if we balance our calories from other sources, probably won't cause catastrophic results unless we are pregnant or combine with a number of prescription and non-presciption medications. Alcohol can decrease the effect of certain medications like antibiotics and anticoagulents like Coumadin. According to the NIAAA, at least 25% of all emergency room visits can be attributed to alcohol/medication interactions. Antidepressants, antidiabetic medication, anti-psychotic and anti-seizure medications, narcotic and non-narcotic pain relievers, and other medications may cause dangerous interactions with alcohol. Following that aspirin you take to for your heart with a glass or two of wine may lead to a risk of gastric bleeding. Tylenol plus alcohol can put you at risk for liver damage.
So, should you stop that nightly glass of wine? One glass of red wine may bring some health benefits.
But, like everything, moderation.
