Wine: Bedtime Snack For Weight Loss

Overview
It is common to feel hungry near bedtime, especially if you take dinner early. This prompts many people to go for snacks before retiring to bed. Studies have shown that taking a glass of wine prior to retiring to bed can be helpful in weight loss. Other studies have also shown that drinking wine before going to sleep can help diabetics, improve sex drive and prevent snacking at night. In reference to Linda Monk, a 47-year-old lady who lost 6 pounds in less than a month, a glass of wine near bedtime suppresses her cravings for unhealthy snacks like sweets, chocolate and biscuits.

Harvard Study
In reference to a study conducted at Harvard University for 13 years, it was found out that a group of 20,000 women who took half a bottle of wine every day lessened their risk of obesity. Half a bottle is equivalent to two glasses. Samantha Merrit, another woman who praises nightly wine claims that despite of being rich in calories, red wine didn’t compromise her weight loss efforts. She says that instead of treating herself to a dessert at night, she goes for a glass or two of wine around four times every week. Other than feeling satisfied, Merrit says she sleeps better and feels less anxious.

The Trick
Too much of wine every night can definitely lead to weight gain. The trick is to do it in moderation. While going for a glass or two of wine every night is a good substitute for unhealthy snacking, taking large quantities amounts to more calories than late night binging and may even leave you with hangovers the next day. Avoid taking more than two glasses if you are in pursuit of curbing your hunger, get restful night and feel less deprived. Excessive consumption of wine is directly linked to an increased risk of breast cancer, in reference to a report in the Daily Mall. According to the European conference on obesity in Prague wine helps in weight loss by boosting glucose metabolism.

More Proof
According to the National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, it is evident that when alcohol is substituted for carbohydrates, calorie for calorie, subjects tend to lose extra pounds, a clear indication that they derive less energy from alcohol than from food. Red wine has been shown to suppress appetite and curb cravings, meaningless eating and an early bedtime. Nevertheless, too much of wine can also have the opposite effect. If you drink too much wine at night, you might end up craving for more sugar and sleep poorly. Health experts concur that red wine contain more powerful antioxidants essential for weight loss in comparison to white wine.

Improved Liver Function
A new research claims that drinking grape juice or red wine in moderation, or taking red grapes can help obese or overweight people burn more fat easily while at the same time alleviating metabolic disorders like fatty liver. The study published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry used exposed liver human and fat cells grown in the lab to extract four chemicals commonly found in Muscadine grapes. Ellagic acid is one of the chemicals which was shown to slow the growth of existing fat cells, stimulated the growth of new ones, and increased metabolism of fatty acids in the cells of the liver. However, Neil Shay, a biochemist and molecular biologist at Oregon University’s College of Agricultural Science, and the co-author of the study, these chemicals in grapes shouldn’t be taken as a weight loss miracle. He added that they didn’t expect that these chemicals would be helpful in weight loss. However, he said that by burning a lot fat, particularly in the liver, they can boost liver function in obese or overweight people.

Other Health Benefits of Wine
It is rich in resveratrol, a strong antioxidant that prevents cancer.
It protects heart’s health and Alzheimer’s disease by preventing cell damage.
Resveratrol is linked with longer life span and improved athletic performance.

Conclusion
Although wine before bedtime can be helpful for weight loss, the key is drinking in moderation. It is important to make a difference between taking red wine instead of a snack and drinking it along with a snack. If you take red wine along with a cake, it means that there will be a pile up in calories resulting to weight gain. It is also advisable to avoid taking red wine in the wee hours of the night as it may interfere with your sleep and cause drowsiness the next morning. If done controllably, wine before bedtime can help shrink your waistline.