Red wine contains both melatonin and resveratrol, two substances that appear to protect against cardiovascular disease (12).Some beverages can make you fat and sick, while others may keep you thin and healthy. The main idea is to avoid beverages with added sugar. I’m sure you know most of them: lemonade, soda, sweetened juices, alcohol. Soda is particularly common in our culture, and just one a day can increase the risk for type 2 diabetes. Since many people drink soda by the liter, this becomes a huge public health issue. Diet soda is not a good alternative, since it increases appetite, especially for sweet things.
If you want a sweet beverage, you should drink fruit juice—just be sure you're not accidentally drinking a high-in-sugar fruit drink. Admittedly, juices contain some carbohydrates, but they’re also filled with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and even fibers. Pulp actually consists of fibers. Therefore, real juice is a healthy alternative to sugary beverages, but you should drink them in moderation if you want to keep the LCHQ diet. For example, if you eat a meal of chicken drumsticks and vegetable juice, totaling about five hundred calories, a hundred of those should come from the juice. This translates to about 8.5 oz (250 ml) of juice and 10 percent carbohydrates. In this case, juice is a great beverage, especially if it contains high levels of antioxidants! If the food is complete in all other regards in terms of nutrients, water is the best alternative, regardless of whether or not it’s carbonated, as long as it’s not sweetened. Tea, coffee, and red wine have their functions, but they deserve their own separate section.
Tea and coffee improves quality further
One particularly good type of tea is brewed from the Camellia sinensis plant and contains many interesting substances, such as caffeine, theanine, and antioxidants. Up to 30 percent of the fresh leaf’s dry weight can consist of catechins—highly potent antioxidants that appear to inhibit the development of cancer and decrease the risk for cardiovascular disease. The tea leaves themselves actually contain more caffeine per gram than coffee does, but since less tea is used per cup than the equivalent in coffee, the level of caffeine is about 30–90 milligrams per 250 milliliters. Coffee contains about two or three times that amount. All sorts of teas are allowed in LCHQ, but remember to factor in the honey that you use when counting your daily ration of carbs.
Coffee is also rich in antioxidants and a myriad other great substances—we have identified about a thousand so far. There are many health benefits and research has found that it protects against type 2 diabetes, depression, gout, cirrhosis, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer's, as well as cardiovascular disease. Of course, coffee also fits in the LCHQ diet, since it is free from calories and can be consumed in relatively large quantities without any proven negative heath effects.
Caffeine in tea and coffee is known for providing energy, and also for releasing dopamine in the brain. Since dopamine is a reward chemical that makes us feel good, coffee and tea drinkers generally consider their quality of life to be higher than those who exclude these beverages. As a result, they are very much a part of the LCHQ concept. Adding sugar to one’s coffee is of course a big no-no, since the amount of sugar you consume if you drink a lot of coffee adds up quickly.
Reasonable amounts of alcohol are allowed
Alcohol is actually one of the energy providing nutrients, but not something that is absolutely necessary for survival. Lots of research shows that alcohol—mostly in terms of red wine—actually has a positive effect on your health and weight. It seems impossible that a “poison” like alcohol could provide better cardiovascular health and reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes and weight loss. However, you should take into account that we’re talking about a maximum of one or two glasses of red wine per day, and that it’s particularly red wine (not white or blush) that is beneficial. Through red wine, you can receive not only the alcohol but also many antioxidants. If you have difficulty stopping before you drink too much, it’s better to exclude alcohol completely—especially as it’s an addictive substance. If you drink too much, it definitely causes more harm than good; it puts pressure on your heart, liver, kidneys, brain, and pancreas—your entire body, really. A surplus of alcohol also increases blood pressure, stores fat, and increases the risk for cancer. It may be superfluous to mention that an abuse of alcohol also clouds your judgment; however, a moderate intake of red wine is great for the LCHQ diet.
Even if alcohol provides energy, you don’t have to include it in your calorie count. As you remember, LCHQ allows for 20 E% carbohydrates, 40 E% from protein, and the same amount from fat. Maintain these ratios between fat, protein, and carbohydrates as before, and make sure red wine is only an occasional enjoyment in your everyday life.
Why only red wine?
Of course it’s okay to have the occasional glass of white wine, beer, or champagne. But regular consumption of alcohol should, if anything, consist of red wine only. Red wine is the most beneficial for your health as it contributes much more than just the alcohol.
Here’s a quick run-through of the advantages of red wine over other alcoholic beverages.
Red wine contains both melatonin and resveratrol, two substances that appear to protect against cardiovascular disease (12).
Red wine does not increase the risk of osteoporosis in the same way as pure alcohol, and perhaps it could even provide a certain protection thereof (13).
Red wine reduces the uptake of oxidized (rancid) cholesterol after your meal (14). In the study cited, you can see that a double cheeseburger increases the amount of oxidized cholesterol in the blood, and red wine virtually eliminated the problem.
Since oxidized cholesterol gets stuck in the blood vessels, it might explain why red wine reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.
While other sources of alcohol seem to increase the risk of certain types of cancer, red wine has been found to not be as bad. In fact, red wine has been shown to reduce the risk of, for example, bladder cancer (15).
The resveratrol in red wine expands the blood vessels, which contributes to a lower blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular disease (16). Resveratrol is also anti-inflammatory and strengthens the immune system. It has also been found to inhibit ageing in test animals (17).
Red wine has been found to have a positive impact on the immune system. One or two glasses each day could reduce the risk of a cold and other infections (28).
The HQ in LCHQ
As you may recall, HQ is an abbreviation for High Quality, referring not only to the nutrients but also to the quality of life. Therefore, red wine’s inclusion in the LCHQ diet is very positive. Dinner will be more enjoyable, and food will taste better with a nice pairing of red wine. LCHQ is a lifestyle, and life’s too short to live ascetically, without any enjoyment. But the pleasure should focus on long-term well-being, which is the role of red wine.
When you drink red wine, your brain’s reward system is activated, similar to when fat and sugar are consumed. When you receive the reward of a glass of wine, your craving for fat and sugar is reduced and it is be easier to resist dessert or candy.
This way, it might be easier to maintain fitness.
