Wine and Weight Loss: Dreams Really Do Come True

by Faith Xue

Studies have shown that red wine has a number of health benefits, largely thanks to the potent antioxidant resveratrol. But—are you sitting down?—now some people are claiming drinking wine before bed can actually help with weight loss. According to Lina Monk, a 47-year-old woman who told The Daily Mail she lost six pounds in three weeks, drinking wine before bed suppresses her cravings for unhealthy snacks like “sweets, biscuits, and chocolate.” She gets her advice from a book by author Tim Ferriss, titled The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman. In the book, Ferriss touts the idea that wine in the evening will make you feel more satisfied and thus less prone to give up on your daytime diet plans. In the past, studies have shown that drinking red wine in moderation and eating red grapes can help overweight people burn fat more easily while also helping to fix metabolic disorders and liver-related problems. Additionally, a Harvard Medical School study from 2006 shows that heavy doses of red wine extract lowered the risk of diabetes, liver problems, and fat-related illnesses in obese mice. So, even if there’s no scientific evidence to support Monk’s claims, at least we know a glass (or two) a day is good for our health—drinking before bedtime optional. 

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