Champagne May Benefit Your Brain

Break out the bubbly!  There is good news for the champagne connoisseur.

Just in time for the festive season, 2013 research which correlates drinking 1 to 3 glasses of champagne each week with improved brain health has been dusted off once again.  The study, conducted at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom, found that champagne significantly improved spatial memory in rodents.  Further study on retired adults is planned to carry on the research.

The brain boosting benefit of champagne is attributed to the two grapes; pinot noir and pinot meunier, commonly used to make sparkling wine.  Both varieties contain phenolic compounds.  The compounds gives wine its color and flavor and are also believed to reduce free radicals in the body.  Free radicals are thought to contribute to degenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and cancer.   Reading researcher Jeremy Spencer suggests that moderate alcohol consumption also has the potential to influence cognitive function such as memory.

Antioxidants in red or white wine and champagne can also help prevent blood vessel damage, reduce bad cholesterol and prevent blood clots, lowering the risk for heart disease and stroke.  The key is moderation.  The Mayo Clinic recommends that non-drinkers should not start drinking for perceived health benefits and adults over the age of 65 should limit their consumption to one drink per day for women and no more than two for men.

To read more about the U.K. study visit: http://www.reading.ac.uk/news-and-events/releases/PR503596.aspx .