As if we were in need of more excuses to drink wine right? Namely, a recent study gave a pretty good reason to have a sip.
Apparently, wine helps us lower our risk of getting ill.
The study was published in the Agricultural and Food Chemistry journal and was a follow-up on a 1988 study that researched the antibacterial characteristics of wine, carbonated drinks, milk, beer, and water.
Namely, in this study, wine was found to be the best in eliminating most of the live bacteria in these drinks and showed awesome disinfectant properties.
What Did the Follow-Up Study Found?
In the new study, the researchers first thought that the wine acidity and the alcohol were the reason for the destruction of the bacteria; however, they later discovered it’s because of an organic compound present in red and white wine.
Namely, these compounds, i.e. malic, succinic, lactic, and tartaric acids were isolated and their acidity was neutralized. The results amazed the researchers- 99.9 percent of the dental bacteria were destroyed as well as the ones that trigger sore throat.
The researchers explained that the exposure to wine had a constant antibacterial effect. However, red wine was found more potent in destroying the bacteria than white wine, but not by too much.
Their findings show that wine has impressive and effective antimicrobial properties against pathogens and may be of aid in keeping our upper respiratory tract healthy and lower our risk of caries.
Although most of the streptococcal infections are treatable with antibiotics, wine’s antioxidants can be a good preventive measure for the diseases caused by them.
Of course, this only stands for a moderate consumption of wine!
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