We've all extolled the virtues of drinking wine especially as a healthier drink compared to other alcoholic beverages. In fact, the wine industry, quoting reliable academic research has encouraged the general population to choose wine as a healthy drink when consumed in moderation. But recent press reports have brought into question the health benefits of wine which for centuries has been regarded as a healthier alcoholic beverage than most others. Can drinking wine really put Indian women at increased risk of getting breast cancer? Not in itself, no.

A glass of wine, in general has fewer calories than a glass of whisky, rum or vodka. However, within the realm of wines, there are some wines that have lower calories than others, notes Sommelier India contributor, Sonal Holland, and Wine Advisor, WSET Certified - Advanced levels. Technically speaking, there is no category called a low calorie wine. However, wines with lower alcohol levels have fewer calories than those with higher levels.

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Mushal Merlot 2006 won a Bronze Medal at the Grand Harvest Awards - 2009! Our wine is being recognized, visit our web site Mushal.com, writes Avtar Singh Sandhu. Coupled with the eight Oscars for Slumdog Millionaire, this is the year of the Indians. Unfortunately, the Mumbai attacks have affected our celebrations. But, hopefully we will overcome that terrible incident and dedicate ourselves to helping those who suffered - and bounce back.

Here are four important reasons to drink wine from Newsweek magazine. Firstly, it can help you keep fit especially if you are a senior citizen. Research has shown that it helps prevent physical disabilities. Secondly, it may help you fight alzheimer's thanks to the polyphenols. Next it can help increase your heart healthy omega 3 levels also thanks to the polyphenols. And lastly, it may lower your lung cancer risk if you drink red wine. Remember though that you must drink in moderation to avail yourself of these benefits.

Science News is reporting that scientists at the National Institute for Health have found that the red wine chemical called resveratrol, is not only an antiaging compound but also effective in combating BRCA1-associated tumor formulation in potential cases of breast cancer. How resveratrol does this is not clear. About 8% of breast cancer cases are caused by mutations in tumor suppressor genes.

In separate news, a new study found that resveratrol may help protect human cells against exposure to nuclear material; resveratrol-based drug increased survival rates of mice exposed to radiation by more than 250 percent. Wine Spectator has that story.

There's more proof that red wine may extend human lifespan based on recent research. The study, which dosed mice with resveratrol, was conducted by Sirtris, a startup that was recently sold to GlaxoSmithKline for $720 million. Resveratrol is an ingredient in most red wines. Scientists have long derided the idea of life-extending elixirs, but the door has now opened to drugs that exploit an ancient biological survival mechanism, that of switching the body's resources from fertility to tissue maintenance.

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Research from Spain performed on rats shows that polyphenols found naturally in red wine may keep blood vessels healthy in older, hypertensive women. According to a study that was published in the April 2008 issue of the medical journal Hypertension, compounds found in red wine could potentially help ease hypertension in postmenopausal women.

The study's authors note that women who have gone through menopause are at greater risk of hypertension than men of the same age underlining the need to identify potential therapeutic measures. Read more...

A Department of Health report in the UK shows that women who drink more than 14 units per week are 50 percent more likely to get breast cancer. The report suggests that alcohol consumption is implicated in 2,000 cases of breast cancer in each year as well as causing other cancer, liver damage and fertility problems in women.

With one 250ml glass containing up to 3.5 units, just one each evening would put a woman well over her weekly allowance. Official guidelines say women should drink no more than 14 units of alcohol a week, and men no more than 21. As Indians take to wine, it is important to keep in mind the health risks that arise when drinking in excess. Also read the BBC coverage.

Taking exercise, drinking moderately, eating sufficient fruit and vegetables and not smoking can add as much as 14 years to your life, a study has found according to the BBC. Research involving 20,000 people over a decade found those who failed on all criteria were four times more likely to have died than those who succeeded.

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The Times of India is reporting that the number of drinks consumed is a poor measure of consumption. Generally, two pints of normal beer, one large glass of wine or three vodka pegs can push a person beyond the 80mg limit. Blood alcohol content (BAC) is not an accurate indicator of the level of impairment either.

Tolerance to alcohol varies from one person to another, and can be affected by factors like adaptation to chronic alcohol use, genetics and synergistic effects of drugs. Therefore it is important to know your own drinking limits and to stick to them.

Wine Spectator is highlighting new research from Finland which shows that people who drink wine live longer. The study suggests that moderate consumption may lead to a healthier and longer life. Wine drinkers were in better health at the end of the study and had also performed better on mental health tests. However, the wine drinkers also tended to exercise more and smoke less, making the researchers wonder whether wine is simply one piece of a "happy long-life puzzle", as opposed to a deciding factor.

Here are at Sommelier India, we encourage our readers to always drink in moderation and not to drink before driving.

Controversial guidelines that strongly discourage women to drink while pregnant are being planned by the UK government. These guidelines will mean warning labels being put on bottles of wines, spirits and beer. The guidelines are causing the wine industry significant consternation. The industry questions the link between alcohol in small amounts and foetal alcohol syndrome, which results in brain damage.

They argue that the guidelines contradict the UK Department of Health's own official health advice to expectant mothers, which allows up to two units a day - the equivalent of a single glass of wine - once or twice a week. Visit The Guardian for the full story.

Red and white wines can help combat various forms of cancer, according to research conducted in Greece, scientists said yesterday in Thessaloniki. Greek experts have been conducting tests over the last few years on the positive effects that a few glasses of local wine can have on the drinker’s health.

According to research presented at the Detrop food and drink exhibition by Dimitris Kouretas, an assistant professor of biochemistry at the University of Thessaly, plant polyphenols that are found in grapes can have an effect on human cells, bacteria and enzymes, thereby preventing cancer – including breast, lung and gastric – from breaking out or can fight tumors.

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It seems to get better and better for wine lovers everyday. Yet another study on red wine and its health benefits came out recently. This one suggests that red wine may be effective in slowing the human aging process. Spanish researchers believe that the high concentration of melatonin in the grape skin is responsible for the benefits. So if you happen to need an excuse to drink red wine, just say that you must to stay young!

According to the Harvard Gazette, Researchers at Harvard University have found that a molecule that is an active ingredient in red wine can slow the aging of human cells. Called resveratrol, the wonder substance seems to work in the same way as does drastic calorie cutting.

Physicians recommend a glass or two of red wine a day as part of a heart-healthy diet. Remember it is still important to drink wine in moderation and sensibly.

According to the New York Times, a new study shows that an ingredient in wine actually increases your endurance. We all enjoy wine and now it seems that everyday we're being given an extra reason to drink! The ingredient that does the trick is resveratrol. " A drug already shown to reverse the effects of obesity in mice and make them live longer has now been shown to increase their endurance as well. Experts say the finding may open up a new field of research on similar drugs that may be relevant to the prevention of diabetes and other diseases."

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Can you have your cake and eat it? Is there a free lunch after all, red wine included? Researchers at the Harvard Medical School and the National Institute on Aging report that a natural substance found in red wine, known as resveratrol, offsets the bad effects of a high-calorie diet in mice and significantly extends their lifespan. This was first published on the NY Times website with an image of mice!

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Health warnings on bottles of wine urging pregnant women not to drink alcohol are to be made compulsory in France according to Decanter magazine. All bottles imported and sold in France will need to display the warning. Producers can print the warning in writing or feature a government approved picture.

India should enact sensible health safety laws when it comes to alcohol. In the absence of laws like these, it is important for wine drinkers, producers, distributors, hoteliers and restaurateurs to constantly inform the general public not only about the health benefits but also about the risks of drinking wine.

So the next time you are attending a wine tasting whether it is being conducted by a Sommelier at a hotel or by a friend at a dinner party, please ask the speaker to talk about the health questions related to wine as well. It will help spread awareness about when to drink and when not to drink wine.

Maybe the medical field really likes wine. Every year or two a medical researcher discovers yet another health benefit in drinking wine. This time Jun Wang and other researchers at the New York’s Mount Sinai School of Medicine have discovered that red wine may help reduce alzheimer's disease. There is one caveat, this is based on a study conducted on mice. We are yet to see whether it applies to human beings as well.

Choosing to drink alcohol is always a personal choice and will always be. Governments rarely, if ever interfere when it comes to the drinking habits of their adult populations. However, it is important to understand the health benefits and risks if you do choose to drink.

There are few better authorities than the Mayo Foundation and their accompanying website, MayoClinic.com to advise you on the benefits and the risks of drinking. The key takeaway - drink in moderation which means no more than 2 drinks a day if you're a male adult under 65 or 1 drink a day if you're a female or a male over 65. Read Alcohol and your health - Weighing the pros and cons for more important information.

There is yet another excuse to enjoy a glass of red wine with your evening meal. Grape skins include melatonin, the hormone that keeps our body clocks in check and tells us when it is time to go to bed. Wines that are particularly rich in this compound include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chianti. Researchers from the University of Milan, said that the compound could help keep our circadian rhythms, or body clock, in check.

Studies have shown that chocolate, especially dark chocolate when taken in moderation can decrease blood pressure and cholesterol levels. As we all know, red wine in a similar fashion is a popular cholesterol fighter. However, what happens if you don't enjoy drinking wine? Fortunately, as this article points out, there is always grape juice.

According to Reuters, dark soya sauce, widely used in east Asia, may prove to be more effective than red wine and vitamin C in combating human cell damage, researchers in Singapore said.

Scientists found that the sauce -- derived from fermented soya beans -- contains antioxidant properties about 10 times more effective than red wine and 150 times more potent than vitamin C, Singapore's Strait Times reported on Saturday. Antioxidants -- found in red wine, fruits and vegetables -- counter the effects of free radicals, unstable atoms which attack human cells and tissues.

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If you were thinking about even sipping wine while being pregnant, then think again. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy, particularly during the first or second trimester can permanently harm the cognitive development, lowering IQ in the child, a new study found according to David Liu, Ph.D. at Foodconsumer.org. All it takes is 4 oz. of wine to cause damage.

Scientists now say wine may supply antioxidants that protect the delicate hairs of the inner ear that are essential for hearing. According to an article in New Scientist magazine by Andy Coghlan, oxygen free radicals produced over the course of a lifetime, or in response to loud noise or certain antibiotics, damage the inner ear hairs.