First, researchers say one to two (and no more) drinks of wine is beneficial to your heart and brain health. The wine contains antioxidants that have reported benefits for years. The alcohol itself has positive benefits in moderation. While you could get this second benefit from beer or hard alcohol as well, you lose the antioxidants. Second, wine is a food drink.

One suggestion as to why some of these antioxidants are present in red wines is that grapes that have been distressed during their growth will exhibit the highest level of antioxidants. Red-skinned grapes seem to have better growing success in less temperate climates but exhibit the effects of stressful weather conditions in the form of higher levels of resveratrol. Before all you wine enthusiasts start shouting, “I told you so!” let me point out that many of the same antioxidant benefits can also be found in dark beers, too.

White wines can be found in several varieties, and these can range in calories and carbohydrates significantly. Though most white wines contain between 100 and 120 calories per five-ounce glass, some can run as high as 217. Grams of carbohydrates per glass can vary even among those wines with similar caloric content. If you are concerned about the calories in white wine, you’ll want to examine the specific type of wine for more insight.

So, what about carbohydrates? Many nutritionists may not think a lot about low-carbohydrate diets. However, in case you’re following one of these faddish plans, then you may find it difficult to fit in much wine. The amounts may differ, but a 5-ounce serving of dry white table wine can consist of 1.25 grams of carbohydrates, whereas a glass of red can go up to 2.5 grams and sweet wines may have considerably more

According to Atkins refined carbohydrates, in particular sugar and flour, are the main cause of obesity. He also felt that saturated fat was not a major nutritional problem, and was much less a factor in developing vascular disease than the trans fats often found in hydrogenated oils. At the risk of oversimplifying, this diet tells you to cut the carbs and not worry about dietary fat. It also recommends nutritional supplements and exercise.

Good carbohydrates are high in fiber or high in good fats, and have a low glycemic index, which means they are digested and absorbed slowly. Preferred carbohydrates have more nutritional value than the alternatives. The South Beach Diet allows brown rice in moderation, but discourages white rice. When you eat carbohydrates, you should also eat fiber or fat to slow digestion of the carbohydrates.

One drawback of the Zone Diet is the need to measure your food intake quite precisely. The food groups are broken into ‘blocks’ subdivided into ‘mini-blocks’. A typical meal might involve one block of Carbohydrates, composed of three mini-blocks such as 1 cup of green beans, 2 cups of yellow squash, and 1 glass of red wine. As with many diets, you should buy a specialized cookbook. Let’s talk about the pros and cons of this diet.

Different types of grapes and different strains of grapes are responsible for the production of different types of wines. Apples and berries are also utilized for the preparation of wines and the wines obtained are named after the name of the fruit like apple wine or elderberry wine or are popularly name as fruit wine or country wine. Barley and rice wine are prepared from the starch based materials and resemble beer and spirit more than wine and ginger wine is fortified with brandy.

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What is the first thing that people notice about red wine?  The color of course!  It is the rich red color.  Did you know that red wine is produced from grapes that are not only red but purple and blue as well?  The many different varietals of red wine give it names like “dark red, light red, almost black, maroon, deep violet, and burgundy”.  That list could expand to include many more descriptors, but most of all we love the romance and taste of reds.  It has become a part of our culture to see people in the movies in intimate settings drinking red wine.  In part, this is due to its color, the color that represents love, but also for the rich bold flavor that reminds us of love and romance.

Popular reds are Shiraz, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet.  The list could continue for another few sentences, but the important thing to remember is that each wine will be made from a different grape or many different varietals of grapes.  Knowing what grape can be grown in what region depends on the longitude line the region falls on.  Many grapes that made Italy famous are also grown in places like Michigan in the United States.  The longitude line will dictate the climate in which a grape can be grown.  If where you live falls on or near the same line that a famous grape growing region does, you too can grown the same varietals and maybe become famous yourself.

Pairing food with wine is an important part of the whole experience.  Red wine is versatile, but there are some definite rules to follow.  Rule number one should always be, if you like the taste of the wine, then drink it.  Apart from that there are some other guidelines that can be followed to make the experience the best one possible.  For instance, reds should never be paired with mild cheeses.  Mild cheeses are always great with white wines.  Strong cheese on the other hand is perfect for red wine and can be paired with just about any red available.  In fact many cheese spreads are mixed with Port or Merlot which is to die for.  Pastas with cream sauces and seafood will never pair well with red wine.  Pasta with red sauce however will taste lovely with a nice red like Zinfandel or Merlot.  Unfortunately Asian food is another pairing you shouldn’t make with reds.  Poultry should only be paired with Beaujolais and pork with only Pinot Noir or Beaujolais.  The good news is that beef was made for pairing with reds and you should feel free to pair almost any red with beef except for Port or Beaujolais.  It is the robustness and full flavor that makes red pairing with red meat so perfect.  Surprisingly, chocolate is a perfect companion for Port, Cabernet or Merlot.

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