Here’s some festive news for the holidays: having some bubbly is good for your heart. (Really!) A new study from the University of Reading in the UK found that drinking moderate amounts of champagne–about two glasses a day–improves the way that blood vessels function.
Researchers discovered that when the polyphenols (a powerful type of antioxidant) in champagne are absorbed into the blood stream, they slow down the removal of nitric oxide, a compound that affects blood pressure–giving the nitric oxide more time to improve blood flow and impact blood vessels. It isn’t clear how far-reaching the effects are, but the study authors speculate that champagne may reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Of course, I love champagne simply because it’s festive and delicious. But it doesn’t hurt that one glass contains just 90 calories–and that, my friends, is reason alone to celebrate.
-Camille
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Camille
