Drinking Red Wine Gets Even Better

A new study finds that red wine could protect your skin from sun damage

We here at The Atlantic Wire already knew that red wine's nutrients are especially good for you, but your wine addiction just got better. Drinking wine can reduce risk for sunburn, finds a study in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry. Wine's flavanoids, a nutrient found in grapes, protect skin cells from sun damage.

A few weeks back we noted that grapes' nutrients, specifically the miracle compound resveratrol, could make you skinny, youthful, and reduce risk of heart disease. And now, apparently, downing reds can also ensure you get a golden brown tan. But, wait, isn't drinking in the heat a bad idea?

Alcohol dehydrates as does sitting in the heat, meaning guzzling glasses of wine speeds up the dehydration process, explains the U.S. Coast Guard's Alexis D. Washington. "The body loses needed fluids through the urination alcohol induces," she writes. "If fluids in the body are not replaced, dehydration can be life-threatening."Said thirst can lead to heat stroke and left untreated, severe dehydration could result in seizures, permanent brain damage, or death, warns the National Institute of Health. A kickin' tan might be worth a extreme thirst and possible heat stroke, to you.

Alcohol also clouds judgement, LiveStrong's Sean Mack reminds boozers. "If you become inebriated, you might not notice the effects of the sun, causing you to experience severe sunburn." Where does the line between the benefits of flavanoids on your skin and forgetting to reapply end?

And drinkers who happen to be tanning on a boat should be especially careful: the odds of a person getting killed out on the water increase 30 percent after drinking just half a beer, found a study Journal of the American Medical Association. The chances of dying in a boating accident rise exponentially for every additional drink you have.

Well, tanners, you have a trade-off to consider. But given all the other health benefits of drinking wine, we think the choice is pretty obvious.