The battle being fought in laboratories and tasting rooms
around the world is between beer drinkers and wine drinkers.
Each side claims that their drink is the best, arguing over
everything from taste to overall “classiness” of their libation
of choice. Given that beer and wine are the two most popular
alcoholic drinks in the U.S., it’s safe to say that each drink
has certain merits.
However, there is one area in which wine has a clear
advantage, and that is when it comes to your health. While no
one is suggesting that wine is a health food, or that someone
who doesn’t drink at all should take up imbibing vino just for
the health of it, when consumed in moderation, wine does
offer some clear benefits for our health that beer doe not.


Wine Is Good for Your Heart
While a Danish study in 2000 indicated that all forms of
alcohol can lower the risk of heart disease, thanks to its ability
to increase HDL cholesterol and hence reduce the thickening
and hardening of the arteries, red wine was shown to be the
most effective in preventing heart disease. Researchers chalk
this up to the fact that red wine (and white wine, to a much
lesser extent) contain tannin procyanin. This antioxidant
encourages cell growth while also preventing plaque build-up
in the arteries and reduces the risk of stroke and other serious
heart problems. In fact, this antioxidant is believed to the be
the explanation for the so called “French paradox,” the fact
that the French have lower rates of heart disease than people
from other countries, despite diets that tend to be high in fat
and cholesterol.
That’s not to say that beer does not offer any heart benefits. A
2001 study indicated that beer does contain heart-healthy
amounts of vitamin B6, which reduces the amount of the
heart-disease causing amino acid homocysteine in the blood.
However, this limited benefit pales in comparison to the
proven and powerful benefits of red wine.


Lower Risk of Cancer
While red wine may be best known for reducing the risk of
heart disease, it’s also beneficial in reducing the risk of certain
types of cancer. Researchers chalk this up to the fact that red
wine contains the flavonoid resveratrol, which is believed to
help improve cell growth and block the development of
tumour cells. Beer contains some antioxidants, but does not
offer the same cancer-fighting properties as wine.



Wine Equals Lower Weight— In Moderation
There’s a reason that you don’t ever hear of anyone
complaining about having a “wine belly”: In general, wine is
far lower in calories than beer. The fact that one glass (about
six ounces) of wine has fewer calories than an equivalent
amount of beer helps wine drinkers maintain a healthy weight
more easily compared to beer drinkers.
In fact, several studies have also indicated that wine drinkers
tend to have healthier lifestyles than beer drinkers overall.
One 2006 study in Denmark even tracked the grocery
purchases of wine drinkers as compared to beer drinkers and
found that those who chose wine tend to buy more fresh
produce and lean meats, as opposed to beer drinkers who
purchased processed and junk foods.
But that doesn’t mean that wine is a diet food.
Overindulging
in any type of alcohol, wine included, can send your calorie
intake skyrocketing. Not only does heavy drinking create
serious health risks including liver problems and a higher risk
of certain cancers, it also raises our calorie intake
considerably, leading to unhealthy weight gain.
However, beer drinkers are statistically more likely to
overindulge than wine drinkers; one report showed that more
than 81 percent of those who drink more than five drinks in a
day choose beer, while only four percent of heavy drinkers
choose wine. It’s important to note that every study touting
the health benefits of drinking advocate for moderate alcohol
consumption, meaning one five or six ounce glass of wine for
women and one or two glasses for men per day.
Choosing wine over beer, or vice versa, is often a matter of
personal preference. However, if you want to help your heart
and give your cells a boost, a glass of wine is clearly a better
choice.


Source: www.google.com/m?q=advantages+of+wine+over+beer&client=ms-opera-mini&channel=new

Didn't somewhere in the Bible say a little wine is good for the stomach?