Introduction

Where it flows, there it cures

Wine contains about six hundred components that influence human senses and the organism. Not only alcohol itself has a positive influence on human beings, but so also do the secondary by-products from alcoholic fermentation. Their content and the mutual relationship is determined by the variety or grape, the soil composition and climatic conditions and also the production technology used.

Wine contains about six hundred components that influence human senses and the organism.

As far as the effects on human health are concerned, of all the substances contained in a wine, the most important are the phenolic substances. The majority of these have a noticeable antioxidational effect and some also protect against malignant tumours and influence the level of cholesterol in the blood. Although phenols are to be found in a whole range of other foodstuffs, especially in fruit and vegetables, the human body is not capable of putting these to good use, as in most cases we are dealing with compounds that are dissolved in alcohol and not in water.

Not without interest is the fact that flavonoids belonging expressly to the group of phenols that lower the risk of pneumonia, and even suppress the negative influence of smoking on the lungs. Apart from phenols wine also contains mineral substances (they prevent the thinning of bones) and a comparatively large amount of vitamins, mainly from the B group. These aid coronary activity, support the activity of the cornea and retina, increase immunity, play an important role in the creation of haemoglobin and, last but not least, they also help in reducing fatigue and are beneficial for the treatment of depressions.

Thus when we pour ourselves a glass or two of good Moravian wine every day, and have a chat with our friends over it, we will do our health far more good than a dozen doctors.

From the many specialised studies it also emerges that a small amount of alcohol, ideally from Moravian or Bohemian wine, has a similar effect as medication for the thinning of the blood, which means it acts as a prevention against heart attack and strokes.

Thus when we pour ourselves a glass or two of good Moravian wine every day, and have a chat with our friends over it, we will do our health far more good than a dozen doctors.

Wine Consumption

On average every Czech citizen consumes some 20.1 litres of wine per year. This means that over the past 20 years there has been an increase of around one third, while over the past 10 years the increase is approximately one quarter. The European average totals around 36 litres per person per year.