wine & beer

[wnddrrwmnn]

While most that bodybuild want to stay away from alcoholic beverages, some may find that it may be healthy to consume a glass a day. It is said, "Wine is a mild natural tranquilizer, serving to reduce anxiety and tension. As part of a normal diet, wine provides the body with energy, with substances that aid digestion, and with small amounts of minerals and vitamins. It can also stimulate the appetite. In addition, wine serves to restore nutritional balance, relieve tension, sedate and act as a mild euphoric agent to the convalescent and especially the aged."

 

"Moderate consumption of red wine on a regular basis may be a preventative against coronary disease and some forms of cancer. The chemical components thought to be responsible are catechins, also known as flavanoids. Catechins are believed to function as anti-oxidants, preventing molecules known as "free-radicals" from doing cellular damage. There are also compounds in grapes and wine (especially red wine, grape juice, dark beers and tea, but absent in white wine, light beers and spirits) called resveratrol and quercetin. Clinical and statistical evidence and laboratory studies have shown these to boost the immune system, block cancer formation, and possibly protect against heart disease and even prolong life."

 

http://www.winepros.org/wine101/wine-health.htm

 

However, I learned something today while shopping at an organic market today. While I normally just go for the organic products and accept that since I am making the food myself, it is Vegan. I have recently decided to follow a glass a day regimine. This was not something I could make for myself. In shopping for it I noticed a new label on the wine section. "Vegan".

 

Imediately, I had to find out what the difference was. I mean, so it's wine right? Just grapes that have been pressed and aged. But no, that is not the case. Animal products are used to filter out impurities.

 

"The most common animal ingredients used in wine making are isinglass (a very pure form of gelatine from sturgeon fish bladders), gelatine (extract from boiled cow's or pig's hooves and sinews), egg whites (or albumin) and caseins (a protein from milk). Very occasionally blood has been used as an additive - "sangre de toro" means "bulls blood" - but rarely literally any more. This ingredient was declared illegal for use in European wines in the aftermath of the outbreak of BSE (mad cow disease)."

 

I don't know about you, but I'd call those ingredients the 'impurities"

 

It's not just wine, but beer too! And don't expect any of it to be labeled. So figuring I happened to be interested in this. I figured I'd share the list I had found. While it's not directly related to bodybuilding, it does have something to do with health, and that concerns us all.

 

http://vegans.frommars.org/wine/faq.php

http://vegans.frommars.org/wine/

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/geraint.bevan/Vegetarian_beers.html

[bighead]

wow. i knew about the wines and how to find vegan wines, but i never knew of a vegan beer list. thanks for that link. not like i actually drink alcohol, but should the occasion arise...

[CollegeB]

Will Peavy posted an article he found about soy sauce having similar antioxidant properties to wine, and I believe it found soy sauce to be even higher in concentration. But if you are needing wine to relax, you might want to take some meditation courses or something. Relying on a substance to influence your mood is risky.