Popping bottles for champagne showers isn’t the only things that bubbly is good for. Over the years there has been substantial research on the elite alcoholic beverage that has provided ideal excuses to drink copious amounts of it. Not only is it great on its own, or disguised with some fresh orange juice, but the health benefits are pretty attractive, too. We found five raison d’etre for the existence, and consumption, of sparkling wine.
1. It’ll improve your memory
If you don’t remember this study from two years ago, then either you haven’t heard of it or you just might need to start sipping on the champers. Scientists at Reading University fed a few rats some champagne every day for six weeks, then placed them in a maze. Those who hadn’t been consuming the bubbles had an average success rate of 50%, but that increased to 70% after some bubbly.
[The] research is exciting because it illustrates for the first time that moderate consumption of champagne has the potential to influence cognitive functioning such as memory.
Daaaaalicious. No wonder rappers can remember those lyrics like a boss.
Basically, the two red grapes that are found in sparkling wine – Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier – can improve memory and spatial awareness. All it takes is three glasses a week and you could delay the onset of degenerative brain disorders, such as dementia.
It is, however, yet to be studied on humans, but you don’t need that as a reason not to start.
2. It’s good for your heart
We’ve told you about drinking a glass or two of red wine at night, but champagne, also made from red grapes, is just as healthy. Sparkling wine contains high levels of polyphenols – antioxidants found in red grapes but less intensely in white – that can lower blood pressure and prevent heart problems. In fact, the same dude who did the experiment above, Dr Jeremy Spencer, suggested that those two glasses that will improve your memory will totally be more than enough to ease your heart issues.
We have found that a couple of glasses a day has a beneficial effect on the walls of blood vessels – which suggests champagne has the potential to reduce strokes and heart disease. It is very exciting news.
Quite the champagne enthusiast it seems – just like Patsy and Eddie <3
3. It gets you drunk quickly
Perhaps this isn’t the health benefit your’e looking for, but if it takes less amounts of sparkling wine to get to one’s head, then you don’t need to drink as much as usual. Just like drinking through a straw, it’s the bubbles that assists in lifting your mood. How did they test this? In a study at Oxford, they gave three people sparkling wine and another three flat sparkling wine. 20 minutes later, the alcohol levels of the non-flat sparkling wine drinkers were higher. Yesssss.
The fizz gets into the blood stream quicker as a result of the carbonation ‘rushing’ the alcohol from the stomach to the small intestine.
However, you need to keep up the drinking as 45 minutes later, you’ll be just as drunk as someone drinking a glass of red wine. I guess it’s all dependent on what you’re used to.
But instead of dive-bombing for that bubbly crash, Bill Murray provided some fail-proof advice:
I learned how to drink champagne a while ago. I like to drink it in a big pint glass with ice. I fill it with ice and I pour the champagne in it, because champagne can never be too cold. And the problem people have with champagne is they drink it and they crash with it, because the sugar content is so high and you get really dehydrated.
But if you can get the ice in it, you can drink it supremely cold and at the same time you’re getting the melting ice, so it’s like a hydration level, and you can stay at this great level for a whole weekend. You don’t want to crash. You want to keep that buzz, that bling, that smile.
Aaaaah, Bill, it’s great to have someone like you in the world.
4. It’ll improve your skin
Because you’re such an avid reader, you’ve probably checked out the whole Hamilton debacle that went down the other day. While you were watching him spit insults, you probably got distracted by his smooth skin. Thought so. Anyways, theory is, it’s from spraying all that champagne over themselves win they win the Formula One.
It’s just a theory okay, but, although an expensive detoxifier, it is super effective – all according to a dermatologist:
Champagne detoxifies the skin with antioxidants and lightening tartaric acid helps even out the skin tone. For those with oily skin, its antibacterial properties aid in leaving last year’s breakouts behind.
Where the champers at?
5. It contains fewer calories than wine
Of course, there’s always there question of how much you decide to consume, but keeping to the recommended two glasses a day, choosing the sparkles over wine or beer is the better option.
A small flute of Brut is roughly 80-100 calories, fewer than a 175ml glass of wine and far healthier than a pint of beer.
Although you might be thinking to yourself about all that dosh you’ll have to spend on some champers, not to worry, mate, we’ve got you covered: Get yourself a case of Pierre Jourdan MCC for Only R600 – for something that usually sells in restaurants for around R250+, it’s nice to know you can order Pierre Jourdan Cuvee Brut for only R100 a bottle. #Winning.
[source: telegraph]
