Have you ever heard the saying: Drinking a small glass of red wine before going to bed can not only help you fall asleep, but also burn fat and help you lose weight easily? For people who love drinking red wine but are too lazy to exercise, this is a fantastic way to lose weight! However, is this statement a scientific fact or just an Internet rumor? Let’s uncover the truth behind this glass of red wine.
The scientific connection between red wine and weight loss: the magical effect of ellagic acid
According to a study by Oregon State University in the United States, grapes contain a substance called “ellagic acid”, which is believed to promote liver metabolism and help burn body fat, thereby reducing the risk of fatty liver formation. Researchers point out that moderate intake of grape juice or wine may indeed have a positive impact on fat metabolism.
This means that the ellagic acid in red wine may be one of the aids to weight loss. However, this doesn’t mean you can drink red wine without restraint. After all, the alcohol and calories in red wine cannot be ignored.
While the ellagic acid in red wine may be beneficial for weight loss, drinking too much alcohol can have the opposite effect. Alcohol itself contains high calories. Each gram of alcohol provides about 7 calories of energy, which is higher than the calories of carbohydrates and proteins. In addition, alcohol will affect the normal function of the liver and reduce its efficiency in metabolizing fat, which may lead to fat accumulation.
Therefore, if you want to lose weight by drinking red wine, remember the word “moderate amount.” It is generally recommended that women should have no more than one cup (about 150 ml) per day, and men should have no more than two cups. Not only does excessive drinking not help you lose weight, it can also have negative health effects.
Red wine and sleep: Indirect aid to weight loss?
In addition to the effects of ellagic acid, red wine is also thought to help improve sleep quality. The right amount of red wine can help relax your body and mind and promote falling asleep. There is also a strong connection between good sleep and weight loss. Research shows that lack of sleep affects the balance of hormones in the body and increases hunger, which can lead to overeating.
Therefore, drinking a small glass of red wine before bed may indirectly help with weight loss by improving sleep. That doesn’t mean you can rely on red wine to solve all your sleep problems, though. Long-term reliance on alcohol to fall asleep may lead to decreased sleep quality and even alcohol dependence.
While red wine may help with weight loss, it’s by no means a panacea. The core of weight loss is still a “calorie deficit”, which means burning more calories than you take in. Although red wine may promote fat metabolism, if you consume too many calories in your daily diet or lack exercise, red wine alone will not be able to achieve weight loss.
In addition, everyone’s physique and metabolic ability are different, and the effect of red wine on weight loss will also vary from person to person. For people with poor metabolism, red wine may help; for others, the effect may be minimal. Therefore, if you want to use red wine to aid weight loss, please remember: scientific diet, moderate exercise and good living habits are the keys to weight loss. Red wine may be a small part of this health journey, but it is by no means the end.
