A friend was staring at her glass of red wine and contemplating the health benefits. The benefits appear quite solid in the scientific literature. I have seen reports, however, equating drinking a glass of wine to spending an hour at the gym. Personally, I would hold off on cancelling the gym membership just yet.
The ingredient in wine that catches attention is the polyphenol, resveratrol. As an antioxidant, resveratrol reduces low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol) and is linked to a lower risk of inflammation and blood clotting, which can reduce the risk of heart disease.
Like exercise, resveratrol raises HDL (healthy) cholesterol and helps prevent artery damage caused by inflammation and high levels of LDL (harmful) cholesterol. As such, it may improve the function of the layer of cells that line your blood vessels. However….
Sipping on a glass of red wine is no substitute for a hard sweat session at the gym. Physiologically, it might mimic some of the vascular effects, but it does not increase energy expenditure or overload the heart or skeletal muscle—the main reason for going to the gym in the first place. If weight (i.e., fat) loss is the goal, drinking wine may be counter-productive. The calories in one 5-ounce glass of red wine are about 123 kcal. (Remember, there are approximately 3500 kcal in a pound of fat. Skipping the gym and adding a daily glass of wine to the diet is the equivalent of adding 44,895 kcal per year or almost 13 pounds of fat!!—Sorry, ladies.) Conversely, 10-5 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise will contribute to the opposite effect.
Skipping the gym leads to muscle atrophy, as well as fat gain. (Remember, “skinny fat”?) As well, alcohol can have a stimulating effect on the appetite, leading one to consume excess calories. Another problem with wine it that, once the bottle is uncorked, one is less likely to stop at one glass—thus, more calories.
Just because something mimics some of the effects of exercise this does not make it a suitable substitute. Enjoy a glass of wine, if you choose—in moderation—but don’t skip the gym. Moreover, make sure the effort at the gym exceeds the indulgence of the wine.
Carpe momento!