There’s mounting evidence that drinking wine with meals has many health benefits. The research seems to point to the fact that it may lower your chance of heart attacks, prevent stroke, lower cholesterol, and reduce the risk of diabetes. Those who drink red wine with meals reported higher self-esteem, mental health, and better overall physical health.
Wine is high in antioxidants. Antioxidants are the body’s way of fighting free radicals that damage cells and organs. Some researchers believe that drinking wine with meals may increase antioxidant activity in the bloodstream. They say that the increased antioxidant activity in the bloodstream protects the heart from damage due to free radicals.
Benefits Of Drinking Wine With Meals
It has been shown that drinking wine with meals may have several other health benefits, including lowering the risk of some forms of cancer, such as bladder and rectal cancer. This is because wine contains polyphenols, which are substances that have been shown to kill tumor cells. They’ve also been found to improve the immune system, which is good for people who have chronic illnesses, such as rheumatoid arthritis, Lupus, and asthma.
Studies have also shown that wine may also lower the risk of heart disease and stroke. The antioxidant activity in red wine is believed to be responsible for this since this activity may help fight cell damage, which is another mechanism for preventing heart disease.
How To Choose The Right Wine To Pair With Food
When choosing the right wine to pair with your food, here are some rules you should follow:
- Bitter wines goes well with fatty foods
- Wines must be more acidic than the food
- Rather than the meat, always match the wine with the sauce.
- White wines are best paired with fish and chicken
- Red wines are for foods that have bold flavors like red meat.
Foods Best Paired With Wine
Although there are certain rules you should follow when pairing wine and food, you can still experiment and check what suits you best. But to help you out, here are some of the best foods that go well with wine:
1. Chocolate Cake
Chocolate cakes, whether made with dark or milk chocolates, always have good wine pairings. Chocolate cakes can be paired with Marsala wine. What is Marsala wine?
Marsala Wine is a premium Italian wine, dry or fruity, that’s grown in the area around the Italian town of Marsala. The wine is named after the Roman goddess of wine, Mars. Marsala was first given Denominazion di Origine Contrapata status in 1970. Although it’s often thought of as a sweet wine, the truth is that this type of wine is very dry. It’s made by taking a mixture of grapes, which is called a DOCG (dry red grape), and then filtering the wine through a press and then bottled. The production process is known to be one of the oldest techniques in existence. Since the average cost of this wine is $100 per bottle, it’s also a very delicate and expensive wine.
When choosing the right Marsala wine to pair with chocolate cakes, you need to choose the sweet ones. The drier version of Marsala wine is usually used for cooking.
For cakes made from rich milk chocolate, you can pair it with other wines like Brachetto d’Acqui and Recioto della Valpolicella, which are both sweet red wines from Italy. For cakes made with dark chocolate, you can balance the bitterness with wines like Vin Santo del Chianti and Portugal red wines.
2. Roast Chicken
Roasted chicken is made with a variation of herbs with a splash of lemon, bits of butter, and garlic. This meal can be paired with several wines but Chardonnay is its classic match.
Roasted chicken also works with Provence rosé wines. This is because the acidity of the lemon and the savory herbs and garlic matches well with the aromatics of white wine. Remember that white wines give balance to acidic foods.
3. Steak
Wine and steak is a classic combination. Wine elevates the flavor of the meat and its sauce. When choosing the right wine to pair with your steak, you need to consider some factors:
- Fattiness – fatty steak meats must be paired with a wine that has lower intensity and richness. Too much richness can overwhelm your palate. Wines with high acidity are also good for fatty steaks as it helps balance the umami flavors.
- Seasoning – if the steak is only flavored with salt and pepper, almost any wine can be paired with it. However, when the steak is seasoned with sweet flavors, it shouldn’t be paired with a sweet wine. To achieve a good balance in the palate, steak that’s seasoned heavily with herbs and spices need wines that are light, sweet, and fruity.
Cabernets are the most common wine paired with steaks. These wines have a very balanced flavor that’s perfect for those who are new to drinking wine with meals. Cabernets also have enough acidity that cuts through fatty and umami flavors.
4. Mac and Cheese
It might surprise you that this classic comfort food goes well with wine. Depending on the type of cheese you use for your recipe, there’s a wide range of wines that go well with mac and cheese. Again, Chardonnay might be the safest wine to pair your mac and cheese with. The light flavors of this wine will add more elegance to your simple meal.
Sweet white wine is also a good pairing for mac and cheese with tiny cuts of ham. The zesty flavors of white wine complement the fat of the ham and the sweetness complements the meal.
Pinot Grigio, Assyrtiko, or Sauvignon Blanc are also good white wines that can be paired with mac and cheese. The acid in these wine complements the fat in the milk and meat added to the meal.
Final Thoughts
When you have a wine bar in your home, it may be tempting to drink wine every single day. Pairing your wine with meals that brings a lot of health benefits. There are many different types of food and wine pairings, so don’t feel as though you have to stick to the same pairing for every meal. You should experiment and see what works; experiment with different types of reds and whites, and see what fits your taste.
Drinking wine with meals can be a relaxing way to enjoy the rich and flavorful taste of wine. Wine with meals is very easy when you get creative. With so many different options available, you should have no trouble finding a wine that goes well with every dish that you cook.
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