Summer might be coming to a close, but do your body a favor and pump the breaks on sipping those PSLs until at least the ~official~ first day of fall on Sept. 21, friends. Sure, you might be well over the summer humidity by now (same), but keep in mind that a change in season ultimately leads to a switch-up of spirits and, personally, I’m not ready to say goodbye to prosecco just yet — and TBH, neither is your anatomy. According to a press release sent to Elite Daily, there are hidden benefits to prosecco that you definitely aren’t aware of, all of which pertain to your health. So raise a glass and pinkies up, ladies, because another round of this sparkling white wine is bound to do wonders for your body. I know I’ll cheers to that.
Can you believe it wasn’t until my mid-20s that I fell in love with wine? I’m still warming up to the occasional glass of merlot, but clearly red isn’t the only kind of wine loaded with health benefits, so I’ll just keep on sippin’ on my favorite white spritzers, thank you very much. Still, this isn’t to say white is better than red — they each boast their own benefits — but prosecco specifically offers a wide range of hidden benefits you’re going to want to reap, from sharpening your memory to keeping your skin acne-free.
So in honor of National Prosecco Day on Aug. 13, 2018, here are a few hidden benefits of your favorite bubbly to drink to now before the summer is over.
Trust me, I know from experience that poppin' bottles can make you feel silly and maybe even a little forgetful, but according to a study performed by researchers at the University of Reading in the UK, drinking champagne in moderation (about two glasses or so in a single sitting) can actually improve your memory. How, you may ask? Because of the bubbles!
Apparently, the research found that the compound in pinot noir and pinot meunier grapes that makes your glass of bubbly, well, bubbly, can help to combat memory-based diseases like Alzheimer's when ingested. Though this particular portion of the study was animal-based, the researchers wrote that they have reason to believe the same benefits could be true for humans. In other words, you probably shouldn't rely on prosecco to help you ace that algebra final, but taking a few sips to ease study-session stress probably won't hurt.
This one might seem a little counterintuitive, especially when you consider the fact that drinking alcohol before bed isn't exactly high on the list of best practices for optimal sleep health, but according to Paris-based general practitioner Henri Puget, who talked to the French health website Top Sante about the benefits of champagne back in 2011, a warm glass of prosecco plus a spoonful or two of sugar before bed is the recipe to follow if you're looking to ward off the common cold ASAP.
Canadian news service The Digital Journal reports that in Puget's book Remèdes de famille, the health expert explained that his champagne remedy is a natural way to combat a cold because you end up sweating out "the components of champagne mixed with sugar" throughout the night, thus neutralizing the toxins from the cold. In other words, a spoonful of sugar and a glass of champagne may help you kick a scratchy throat or runny nose. I mean, I'm not positive your doctor would approve of this remedy, but it's worth a try, right?
I bet you never thought I'd be encouraging you to drink alcohol as a way to save your skin, but never say never, right? Experts from GloSkin tell Elite Daily that the amount of antioxidants in all wine, including your favorite bubbly, is enough to potentially reduce any unwanted redness, splotches, and — wait for it — acne.
This brilliant nugget of information comes from a 2011 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, which found that those who used products with resveratrol (aka an ingredient commonly found in your fav bubbly) in high concentrations saw a 54 percent reduction in acne over a 30-day trial period. And if that weren't enough of a reason to sip prosecco at the sight of a breakout, according to LiveScience, antioxidants in general are brilliant for skin health, as they improve collagen production, fight off free radicals, and actually brighten the skin from the inside out. So go ahead and sip up, my friend.
