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The festive season is once again upon us. We must however continue to take care of our health by moderating our food intake. The following describe a few foods and beverages that must be moderated.

Red wine has surprisingly profound benefits for our body. It raises good cholesterol levels (high density lipid cholesterol) and prevents bad cholesterol (low density lipid cholesterol) from forming. It also contains a natural antioxidant resveratrol which reduces the risk of blood vessel obstruction. This is because red wine is fermented with grape skins that contain the antioxidant longer.

However other studies state otherwise. In a Danish study in 2000, the Copenhagen Heart Study found that those who drank red wine had about half the risk of dying of heart disease. Other studies however, indicate that drinking red wine isn’t any better than beer or any other alcohol. As a result the American Heart Association (AHA) says it is not clear whether red wine truly has heart health benefits. Thus, we shouldn’t rely on wine alone to maintain heart health, the only reliable way is by exercise and moderating the foods we eat.

The World Health Federation states that having one to two drinks of alcohol per day may reduce heart disease by 30%. Drinking more will damage the heart muscle. The AHA disagrees that it increases heart health but also recommends one to two drinks a day as well. Drinking alcohol in moderation is healthy but drinking in excess will trigger an irregular heartbeat that can lead to stroke.

Salt intake also increases the risk of high blood pressure while intake of sugars will increase the risk of diabetes mellitus. The AHA suggests less intake of beverages and foods with added sugars. AHA recommends less than 7% of energy as saturated fats, less than 1% of energy as trans fat and less than 300 mg cholesterol per day.Though eating is a must, remember to moderate!

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