Many people don’t realize it but wine—specifically red wine—is a health drink if consumed in moderation. This is because studies show that red wine is rich in antioxidants. 

 

More and more scientific findings show that red wine owes its health benefits from the high level of antioxidants called "resveratrol," a kind of polyphenol known as "phytoalexin."  This is a group of compounds plants use to defend themselves against attacks such as untimely stress, possible injuries, or UV irradiation and certain diseases such as fungus and infection. 

 

Resveratrol is known to be present in the seeds and skins of processed and fermented grapes during the rigorous process of making red wine. And, because of the long process and prolonged fermentation of grapes in red-wine making, high levels of resveratrol are found to be present in each bottle of red wine.

 

Red wine wonders 

 

Nowadays, many people are using red wine as a health drink during their meals because they believe that since it is rich in antioxidants, red wine can help veer them away from certain terminal illness as well as to all forms of diseases that come with aging.

 

The following are just some of the believed benefits of red wine as a heath drink: 

 

- Helps in the prevention of developing various neuro-degenerative illnesses and diseases. Many studies show that because of the high resveratrol content of red wine, it can help people—especially those who are getting older—to develop diseases and illnesses that are common to them like Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.

 

Red wine is also believed to suspend the possible progression of dementia especially to older ones.

 

- Good for the heart. Experts agree that the specific substances in red wines like tannins and flavoniods can raise the levels of good cholesterol or high-density lipoproteins (HDL) in the person’s blood.

 

The red wine’s antioxidant properties can also help in the reduction of bad cholesterol or low-density lipoproteins (LDL). Once LDL levels are decreased, there is lesser chances of developing cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and stroke. 

 

- Prevents certain cancers. Many people who are prone to the "Big C" are using red wine as a health drink because of the wonders brought by resveratrol in it. Experts believe that regular but moderate consumption of red wine can help fight possible cancer cells from proliferating and thus, preventing the development of the disease eventually. 

 

- Reduces the harmful effects of food poisoning. Another noted benefit of red wine is that it can lessen the toxicity brought by spoiled food. The properties in red wine can help cleanse the body from toxins and also help in avoiding dysentery as well as diarrhea. 

 

- Prevents and possibly cures certain gum diseases. Smokers are the ones who are prone to gum diseases. But there are also those who also experience gum diseases that are usually caused by inflamed muscles in the gums and weakened tooth.

 

By using red wine as a health drink, experts believe that the polyphenols present in this can help reduce the presence of free radicals that cause the infection the and bacteria proliferation inside the person’s mouth. 

 

- Serves as blood thinner. For people with high blood pressure, red wine is an ideal health drink because it contains blood pressure lowering-substances and compounds that are effective in lowering high blood pressure. 

 

- Provides healthy skin. For people who are after maintaining youthful skin, red wine can be a good health drink option because the number of polyphenols present in average consumption can prevent the damages brought by cell oxidation processes. 

 

 

Health drinks have become a popular trend in achieving a healthy body. However, commercial health drinks that are available in the market today can be expensive than the usual drinks. Since they are specially formulated to contain vitamins and minerals, the manufacturers charge higher for their health drinks. 

 

If you are one of those who are into healthy drinks but do not want to shift into the natural ones, you can try the following alternatives to the commercial drinks out there: 

 

1. Purple grape juices. This type of juice is ideal as a health drink because it is rich in antioxidants, which are good for the heart. Experts say that this is an ideal health drink for all ages because it is not only a good source of anti-oxidants but of vitamin C as well. 

 

2. Cranberry juice. Doctors usually recommend this health drink for those who experience gall bladder problems. But, ordinary people can drink it to protect themselves from having bladder infections that are recurrent. It is also a good source of your daily dose of Vitamin C. 

 

3. Vegetable juices. If you don’t have time to prepare natural veggie juices on your blender, it is best to grab a carton of vegetable juice in the market. Vegetable juices can be considered as a great health drink especially to those who are into salty foods such as chips because it contains natural properties that can wash away too much salt in the body that leads to weight gain. 

 

4. Soy milks. For milkshake lovers, soy milks are the perfect health drink for you. Today, there are so many ready-to-drink soy milks in almost all health stores and grocery stores nearby. Aside from the plain milk flavor, soy milks also come with other variations such as chocolate and other fruit flavors.

 

Chocolate-flavored soy milks are perfect for young and old chocolate lovers because it comes with a natural chocolate taste less the fat and other unhealthy ingredients. Fruit-flavored soy milks are also perfect health drinks because these are rich in protein and calcium and can satisfy the craving of people who are not used to plain drinks. 

 

5. Pomegranate juices. Pomegranate as a fruit is known to bring lots of healthy benefits to people once eaten. If made into a juice, this can be as healthy as eating the fruit itself.

 

When buying pomegranate juices, make sure that these are 100 percent natural and with lesser additives as possible to ensure that you are getting the DHA, and Omega 3 that can help better brain function as well a antioxidants which is great for the cardiovascualr system. 

 

6. Plum or prune juices. The common notion about prune juices is that it is for older people. To shake off that impression, many manufacturers have renamed their products as "plum juice" which is also derived from the same family of the fruit.

 

Plum or prune juices are great health drinks because it can help you veer away from various digestive problems such as constipation because it is loaded with fiber. Other variations include certain herbs such as chamomile or ginger to make it better tasting and healthier. 

 

These are just some of the existing drinks that you can use as an alternative to your commercial health drink. These may not contain all the vitamins and nutrients that you are getting from your current product but rest assured that these will help you achieve your goal of having a healthier body eventually. 

 

 

Since people are more conscious about the overall health than before, more and more products have emerged in the market. Aside from healthy food alternatives, one of the most consumed products that are believed to aid wellness are health drinks. 

 

Experts say that a person’s body is required to consume at least 60 ounces of liquid every day. This amount is ideal for the body—as well as its organs—to function at their best. Although commercial health drinks are specially made to provide the vitamins and minerals that the body needs, drinking these regularly can be hard to achieve since these are expensive. In the market today, a bottle of a commercial health drink can cost you around $10 to $20 depending on the brand and the nutrients it contains. 

 

For those who want to stay healthy by drinking healthy fluids, they don’t need to spend so much on commercial health drinks. The following are just some commercial health drink alternatives that are budget-friendly. 

 

1. Coconut water. In tropical countries, coconut water is the most abundant drink. But if you are living elsewhere, this can be available in plastic bottles or specially made cartons. Coconut water is one of the cheapest alternatives to commercial health drinks because it contains pure properties that can help aid certain diseases, can help lose weight, can rejuvenate the body’s cells while easily replacing lost nutrients when a person sweats. 

 

2. Filtered water. Instead of drinking tap water that may contain harmful contaminants or drinking water from plastic bottles which are proven to contain "Bisphenol-A" or BPA and "polychlorinated biphenyls" or PCBs that are equally harmful to the body, you can buy a good quality carbon-based filter which you can use at home or in your office. Filtered water is proven to be healthy because it contains minerals that the body needs to function well.

 

For those who are not used to drinking plain filtered water, they can enhance the flavor of the water using crushed herbs such as basil or mint with honey or give it a citrus punch using ripened peels of oranges and lemons which are packed with healthy compounds that do not only detoxify the liver but lowers cholesterol and blood sugar levels as well. 

 

3. Switch to tea. Next to water, tea is known to be the most common beverage that is consumed by people in all places. This is because tea—which can either be black, oolong, white or green—is rich in anti-oxidant that can bring many health benefits to people. Compared to coffee, which is more expensive, tea is cheaper and has lesser caffeine content.

 

Herbal teas—which are the result of the infusion of certain herbs to teas—can also be good alternatives to sodas, which contain excessive amounts of unhealthy sugar. Experts say that teas are a good alternative to health drinks that have bubbles because unlike these, teas do not contain phosphoric acid that is the major cause why bone mass diminishes, leading to greater risk in having osteoporosis.

 

4. Vegetable extracts and fresh fruit juices. There is no denying the effectiveness of vegetables and fruits in boosting a person’s overall health. For those who cannot spend so much money on commercial health drinks, the best alternative would be fresh vegetable and fruit juices. Using a blender, one can create an instant health drink from a wide source of cheap vegetables and fruits available.