The health benefits and detriments of drinking wine are heavily debated. There is evidence to suggest that drinking one or two glasses of certain wines per day is very beneficial to the average person’s health, yet there is also evidence that suggests that wine consumption can aggravate certain conditions, so certain people should stay away from it. There is still much to learn about the health pros and cons of drinking red, white or sparkling wine, but there are some things we can deduce based on what we already know.

Red wines have been found to contain more health benefits than white or sparkling, yet red wines can cause health concerns, also. The polyphenols found in grape skins that help prevent heart disease are transferred into red wine, making it a benefit to your cardiovascular system. The resveratrol in red wine has been found to decrease symptoms of Alzheimer’s, decrease risk of prostate cancer and increase longevity. On the downside, drinking red wine can damage teeth with its acidity, induce migraines, increase risk of breast cancer and set off allergic reactions in certain people. This information concludes that drinking one or two glasses of red wine per day is beneficial unless you have bad teeth, suffer from migraines, experience an allergic reaction when drinking red wine or are a woman with a history of breast cancer in your family.

Sparkling wine is found to have similar health benefits as red wine since it is partly made from the same grapes, and even boasts fewer calories than red wine. It can, however, cause even more severe migraines than red wine. White wine has fewer benefits than red wine, but one health benefit that is unique to white wine is that it has been found to contribute to lung tissue health. It is the most acidic of any type of wine, so is known to do the most damage to the teeth. Doctors typically advise that if one does not drink wine, they should not start. However, for those who already drink wine, limiting consumption to one or two glasses a day will maximize its benefits and minimize its detriments.

Alcoholism is generally looked down on in society, at least where it is associated with failure and squalor. There is, however, one type of alcohol addiction that is more socially accepted than others: wine addiction. There is no other alcohol that has more of an elitist connotation than wine. Wine has long been considered the alcoholic beverage of the thinking individual. The upper class has always gravitated toward wine, in knowledge and preference. For this reason, an addiction to wine can go largely unnoticed and untreated in certain circles.

Wine is often paired with gourmet meals to compliment flavors, and wine tastings are affairs that are attended by the well-to-do. Drinking wine lightly can have benefits for the heart, and can give the body a necessary dose of antioxidants. But just like any other alcohol, the benefits fall away with excessive consumption and are replaced by toxicity. Wine is hard on the body’s organs, including the liver and the skin. Drinking more than a recommended amount of wine can result in migraine headaches and dehydration, as well as many other health detriments.

Addiction to wine is often left unidentified by people who esteem wine. They treat wine like it is socially acceptable in any amount so long as the individual in question remembers themselves. In actuality, a tolerance to the effects of wine is built by excessive consumption and a person can become a functional addict right under the noses of their peers. Wine addiction is not harmless, and can lead a person into destruction without proper treatment.

It is not uncommon for people living in areas such as the Napa Valley wine region and the Okanagan Valley wine region, to develop wine addictions that go undiagnosed. Rehabilitation centers and addiction treatment facilities are beginning to open in these locations to counteract the effects of wine alcoholism. If you or a person you care about is showing signs of a wine addiction, it is wise to contact a Canada alcohol treatment program to learn about where to start in recovery.