Wine. We drink it to help unwind after a long day at work. We bring it with us to help celebrate good news with friends. It’s on our tables as we gather together to spend time and share a delectable meal with our loved ones. There are so many wonderful things that we love about wine – it melts away our worries and soothes our weary souls. Now you can add another thing to love about it: it boasts several incredible health benefits when enjoyed in moderation!

Here are 10 of the most impressive health benefits wine has to offer:

Boosts Immune System

Many people reach for vitamins or echinacea whenever they feel the very beginnings of a cold. While that may still be a good idea, we suggest treating yourself to a glass of wine – it can give your immune system a boost and ward off infections. Researchers believe that the antioxidants present in wine can help lower inflammation, which can stop sickness in its tracks.

Improves Cognitive Function

Now you can truly think of your favorite wine as savory nutrition for your brain. Wine contains a compound called resveratrol, a natural type of phenol that provides incredible health benefits, including bolstering brain health. Resveratrol helps keep blood vessels open and flexible, which in turn brings a healthy supply of blood to the brain. From improving short-term memory to slowing the onset of cognitive diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, a serving of wine is good for the brain.

Strengthens Your Bones

You’ve probably heard that milk does a body good by keeping your bones strong. It turns out that wine can do the same job, thanks to its high levels of silicon, which is great for bone density. That means it can help reduce your chances of osteoporosis as you age. Additionally, wine can also reduce bacteria on your teeth, which may help prevent cavities.

Reduces the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Partaking in that glass of wine at dinner may do more than just relax you. Studies have shown that moderate consumption of wine helps improve sensitivity to insulin, all thanks to resveratrol! As a result, those who drink wine moderately have a 30% lower risk in developing type 2 diabetes.

Lowers Your Cholesterol

If you want to positively affect your cholesterol without changing your diet, a little bit of wine may be all you need. The resveratrol and procyanidins present in red wine help decrease bad cholesterol (LDL) while increasing good cholesterol (HDL). Even the American Heart Association says that moderate consumption can increase your HDL by 12%, so now you have no excuse to savor that chardonnay!

Slashes Your Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke

Yes, it’s true – your favorite wine can reduce your risk of heart disease! The tannins in wine (especially reds) contain procyanidins, which help keep blood vessels healthy, improve blood flow, and neutralize free radicals. Red wine also contains phenols, which act as a natural blood thinner and can break up clots that could otherwise lead to stroke. Think of it as a more relaxing way of taking your daily aspirin!

Sends the Blues Packing

Feeling down? Go ahead, pour yourself a glass of wine. Aside from helping you unwind, wine has been shown that it can chase away the gloom. Researchers in Spain found that those who drank between 2 and 7 glasses of wine per week were less likely to receive a diagnosis of depression. This is even after factoring in healthy lifestyle factors! Make wine your sunshine on those cloudy days to perk you up.

Keeps Your Eyes Healthy

You were probably told that eating carrots can help improve your vision. Guess what? So can wine. Resveratrol in red wine may help prevent vision loss by stopping out-of-control blood vessel growth in the eyes. This increased growth is what usually causes age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, the leading causes of blindness in Americans over the age of 50.

Reduces Multiple Cancer Risks

The ancient Egyptians and Greeks considered wine to be beneficial for one’s health, and we think they’re onto something. It turns out that moderately partaking in wine can help cut down your risk for colon, breast, prostate, and lung cancers! Once again, it’s all thanks to the resveratrol present in wine, which works hard to combat free radicals in the body.

Promotes Longevity

Sorry, Juan Ponce de León, but who needs a Fountain of Youth when you can delight in a daily glass of wine? Researchers at Harvard Medical School have found that wine can increase your lifespan. Resveratrol directly activates a protein within the body that promotes health and longevity, which is more than enough reason to sip a glass each day.

Now please note: like all other wonderful things life brings us, wine should be enjoyed in moderation. Aim for a pour size of 5 ounces for a daily serving. Stick to one drink a day if you’re female and no more than two a day if you’re male. Doing so will help ensure that you’re experiencing the benefits wine has to offer!

Now put your feet up, pour yourself a glass of your favorite Chaumette wine, and make a toast to your health!