Red Wine Health: Is It Good For Your Eyes?

Recently we did a blog about the benefits of dark chocolate and eye health, and in this new blog we look at the possible link of drinking red wine and the benefits it can bring to eye health.

Red wine seems to have always had links to health benefits for the body and brain and studies have now shown that red wine intake can help eye health. Red wine contains a chemical compound called resveratrol which is found in certain red grapes, in particular the skin of these red grapes. Resveratrol is a phytoalexin which is a substance made by the tissue of plants to help combat infection from a pathogen, it works as part of the plant’s defence system.

Researchers have found that resveratrol helps stop blood vessels from being damaged. It is thought to work because it helps the body protect against the development of damaged or altered blood vessels, called abnormal angiogenesis. Resveratrol has been linked to help with eye diseases such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Researchers are undertaking clinical trials to study the effects of resveratrol on type 2 diabetes and, if showed it helps, could also be another benefit to eyes due to the effects diabetes can have on the eyes.

While drinking any form of alcohol excessively can have detrimental effects on your eyes and body, moderately drinking red wine may help your eye health and adding a small amount of dark chocolate may boost eye health too (click here to read more about dark chocolate and eye health benefits). Who said being healthy was all hard work.