Whenever I have a glass of red wine, I enjoy it even more because I know that I am reaping health benefits with each sip. As with everything, moderation is key, and drinking more than one glass a day can tip the balance and be detrimental to your health. Here are five reasons to stop after having just one glass of wine.
- One glass of wine a day can reduce you risk of having a heart attack [1] by lowering LDL (bad cholesterol) levels, but two glasses of wine a day increases your chance of developing breast cancer [2].
- One glass of wine a day can increase bone strength [3], but two or more glasses daily can weaken bones [4]. This decrease in bone density can put you at risk for developing osteoporosis.
- One glass of red wine a day may help you stay thin [5] by blocking fat cell formation, but two or more glasses a day may raise the fats [6] found in your blood.
- Drinking wine in moderation may help improve your ability to create and maintain memories [7], but two or more glasses, especially when coupled with tobacco use, can hasten the onset of Alzheimer's [8].
- Drinking one glass of wine a day can lower your chances of having a stroke [9], but drinking more can raise your chances [10] of having one.
If you use the health benefits of wine to justify or rationalize having a glass, stick to one four-ounce glass [11]. Moderation is key when it comes to drinking alcohol. A little bit does the trick, but a little more than that can be risky.