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Red wine health benefits 'overhyped'

bbc.com

11–20 of 36 posts

Re: Red wine health benefits 'overhyped'

#11
post #7

It always surprises me when people focus on one small part of a diet that they hope is some kind of super-cure (or in this case, they want an excuse to drink red wine more often). Of course red wine on it's own isn't going to do anything for you, it's your entire diet and lifestyle that matters. Look at the real reasons (which studies like this one do not mention at all) the French likely have less heart disease and…

[deleted]

Re: Red wine health benefits 'overhyped'

#13
post #7

It always surprises me when people focus on one small part of a diet that they hope is some kind of super-cure (or in this case, they want an excuse to drink red wine more often). Of course red wine on it's own isn't going to do anything for you, it's your entire diet and lifestyle that matters. Look at the real reasons (which studies like this one do not mention at all) the French likely have less heart disease and…

There's a book that covers this nicely. It's written by a women that moved from Vancouver BC (although us Canadians hate to admit it, we eat like Americans) to France with her French husband. It covers the realm of French culture surrounding eating.

The most interesting part to me was the school lunches. It is frowned upon to send your kid to school with a lunch. Kids are expected to eat what is given to them, whatever the cafeteria staff decide to prepare.

http://www.amazon.com/French-Kids-Eat-Everything-Discovered/...

Re: Red wine health benefits 'overhyped'

#14
post #7

It always surprises me when people focus on one small part of a diet that they hope is some kind of super-cure (or in this case, they want an excuse to drink red wine more often). Of course red wine on it's own isn't going to do anything for you, it's your entire diet and lifestyle that matters. Look at the real reasons (which studies like this one do not mention at all) the French likely have less heart disease and…

About the refined carbs: bread is a staple of French food. And there is even an historic stigma around non-white bread (bread that's not from refined flour). Eating white bread was what everybody was striving for, a sign of having made it (18th, 19th centuries). During the whole 20th century, I think French people ate white bread by a vast majority. Later came the trend of various grains and toast size stuff, from Germany (now cereal count is like razor blades, in a supermarket I found a 7 cereals bread).

edit: I'm not really answering to the topic at hand, being an obese French guy I'm not in a position to teach anyone on dietary advice.

Re: Red wine health benefits 'overhyped'

#15
post #13
post #7

It always surprises me when people focus on one small part of a diet that they hope is some kind of super-cure (or in this case, they want an excuse to drink red wine more often). Of course red wine on it's own isn't going to do anything for you, it's your entire diet and lifestyle that matters. Look at the real reasons (which studies like this one do not mention at all) the French likely have less heart disease and…

There's a book that covers this nicely. It's written by a women that moved from Vancouver BC (although us Canadians hate to admit it, we eat like Americans) to France with her French husband. It covers the realm of French culture surrounding eating. The most interesting part to me was the school lunches. It is frowned upon to send your kid to school with a lunch. Kids are expected to eat what is given to them, whatev…

I taught English in a French school. The cafeteria lunches, at least in my region, were excellent.

You had a baguette and salad, an appetizer, a main course, and a desert. Some schools served wine.

All the meals were very well done with sauces and fresh ingredients. Nothing processed, everything was cooked from scratch. Beats what most people in North America make on their own.

Re: Red wine health benefits 'overhyped'

#16
post #7

It always surprises me when people focus on one small part of a diet that they hope is some kind of super-cure (or in this case, they want an excuse to drink red wine more often). Of course red wine on it's own isn't going to do anything for you, it's your entire diet and lifestyle that matters. Look at the real reasons (which studies like this one do not mention at all) the French likely have less heart disease and…

You forgot a few:

- The French smoke like chimneys

- Drink some form of alcohol daily

- Are dedicated carnivores (vegetarians are rare)

I come here a few months a year (south of France) and it always amazes me how healthy everyone appears to be despite the excess of "sin" the French revel in.

Lifestyle obviously comes into play in terms of longevity (I believe the world's oldest woman was French and she smoked moderately into her 100s). In other words, the phrase, "work before pleasure", very likely did not originate in France.

Re: Red wine health benefits 'overhyped'

#17
post #4

Big f'in surprise. Any instance of "X food substance will make you healthier all by itself" is bullshit.

Well in rat experiments a little bit of alcohol in their water makes them live longer. The supposed mechanism is that alcohol helps keep intestinal bacteria in check and reduces endotoxin absorption.

There are various other reasons to think that in most people light alcohol intake is protective. I don't think wine has anything to do with it. The safest drink would be a high quality vodka.

Re: Red wine health benefits 'overhyped'

#18

Meanwhile: "When it comes to cancer, no amount of alcohol is safe." http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/824237

Huh fascinating. Thanks for the link. For everyone that dismisses this article because it requires a login you can create a free account and they will let you in.

Re: Red wine health benefits 'overhyped'

#20

Meanwhile: "When it comes to cancer, no amount of alcohol is safe." http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/824237

Huh fascinating. Thanks for the link. For everyone that dismisses this article because it requires a login you can create a free account and they will let you in.

You can read the article if you come from a Google search.

http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.medscape.com%2F...

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