Forget about ‘Prosecco smile’ and focus on the benefits

Have you heard the news through the grapevine?

Leading dentists are warning that our national addiction to Prosecco is rotting our teeth. Apparently, the Italian bubbly’s high acidic level is similar to fizzy drinks, leading to weakened tooth enamel. The grape juice also a high sugar content — higher than champagne’s — which further exacerbates its denture danger.

Sorry news indeed — especially as the nation recovers from a Bank Holiday weekend during which we proved so thirsty for the fizzy stuff, one Lidl advert for Prosecco went viral.

The better news for all of you who gorged over the past three days is that the drink has some surprising health benefits. Enough, perhaps, to outweigh the unappealing “Prosecco smile” (when drunk in moderation, of course) ...

1

Improves memory: This may come as a surprise to any of you having to hazily recollect your steps after over-indulging on all that cheap Prosecco at the weekend, but drinking alcohol can improve your memory. A study by The University of Exeter found that drinkers were able to remember information better from the time before they started drinking compared to those who had not touched a drop.

Of course, if you are constantly getting pie-eyed at the weekend, you probably won’t be turning into the next Stephen Hawking anytime soon.

2

Fewer calories: One flute of prosecco is around 80 calories, which is around 60 less than a glass of white wine.

And to top it all off there is now also Skinny Prosecco, made by luxury drinks specialist Thomson & Scott, which has just 67 calories per 125ml glass. Guys, that’s less calories than an apple. And we know which one we’d rather start the day with. (Disclaimer: we do not encourage drinking at work, even if we could all do with one).

3

Reduces blood pressure: In moderation, Prosecco can improve the functioning of our blood vessels. Scientists from the University of Reading found that the polyphenols in Prosecco slow down the removal of nitric oxide from our blood, so that it has more time to act on blood vessels and therefore improves our blood flow. Why is that good? Well, increased blood flow decreases both blood pressure and the likelihood of clots forming, which means you are less likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease and strokes. Happy Prosecco filled days.

4

Protects against diabetes: A study in Denmark surveyed over 70,000 people and found that seven or more glasses of wine per week lowered the risk of diabetes by 25 to 30 per cent (don’t worry, that includes the one with sparkles too).

5

Fights the common cold: Obviously over-indulging at your cousin’s wedding won’t keep the dreaded sniffles away, but one or two glasses of Prosecco can help develop immunity against the 200 viruses that trigger the common cold. A study of 4,000 people found that the Prosecco drinkers lowered their risk of catching a cold by 40 percent.

6

Anti-aging: It’s our old friend the polyphenols making a return — you know, those ones that quite handily keep our blood pressure in check. Polyphenols belong to a group of antioxidant compounds known as catechins which help to fight substances in your body, such as cigarette smoke and sun exposure, that rob your cells of oxygen. Without these polyphenols, admirably fighting for your cause, you could experience accelerated aging of the skin.

7

Boosts your sex life: You know the fizzy bubbles in Prosecco? Yes, the ones that are breaking the enamel of your teeth down. Well, they have their benefits too. They get you buzzed a little quicker than non-fizzy alcoholic options, and as such you will feel pretty social after just a couple of glasses. This is the perfect amount of alcohol to have in your system for optimal sexual prowess apparently. Mind you, any more than that and the sexy will turn into sloppy, so do be careful.