Hold on to your Merlot because I have good news for wine drinkers. Red wine is in the news a lot these days, mostly because of Scandal‘s Olivia Pope. But here’s another reason. Drinking a glass of red wine can equate to an hour of exercise, according to a new study. A research team investigating the properties of resveratrol (a natural compound found in some fruits, nuts … and red wine) discovered that high doses of the compound “improved physical performance, heart function and muscle strength in lab models.” Principal investigator Jason Dyck tells Science Daily: “We were excited when we saw that resveratrol showed results similar to what you would see from extensive endurance exercise training. We immediately saw the potential for this and thought that we identified ‘improved exercise performance in a pill.”
Unfortunately, it only applies to red wine. Suck it, Chardonnay lovers. And it only works as a performance booster if you drink one glass. Sipping your way through a bottle while you unwind at the end of the day isn’t going to do you any good. Of course, it’s something of a truism that red wine is healthy. As Bustle comments, “according to Leah Kaufman, a registered dietitian wine is the “most calorie friendly” alcoholic beverages, adding up to only 100 calories in a typical five-ounce glass. Kaufman mentions that wine also contains antioxidants and can help prevent heart disease, as well as lower bad cholesterol and the formation of blood clots. Another bonus? Apparently red wine acts as a mouthwash because the flavan-3-ols in it can reduce ‘bad bacteria’ found in your mouth.” Gerard Depardieu must have the freshest breath in the world.