Cheers!

When in those moments of celebration and joy we raise our wine glass to clink it with those who share the evening, and looking them straight in the eyes (this is very important) we say "cheers", we want to express in a single word our best wishes for all those present.

It's best not to go back to Roman times when the purpose of a toast was simply to splash the precious liquid between the glasses to make sure no one had spilled.I don't put poison in them. I prefer the current concept of the toast, in which the ultimate goal of the gesture is celebration.

But when we say "to your health," we're often unaware of how much truth this expression holds. Just one glass of wine contains a great deal of health benefits for our body as well as our soul. I'm not the only one saying this. While the benefit to the soul is easy for everyone to verify, the positive effects it has on our body are confirmed by scientific studies.

The antioxidants in wine and their cardiovascular benefits are widely known, but did you know that moderate consumption can have positive effects against cognitive decline? The polyphenols in wine exert an extraordinary protective effect on our neurons, delaying diseases such as senile dementia.

Ethanol, another component of wine, reduces bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol, and the bactericidal action of fermented must can prevent intestinal diseases such as salmonella. Its positive effects on diseases like osteoporosis have also been demonstrated, and there appears to be a clear link between moderate wine consumption and longevity.

Of course, I'm not the one to scientifically confirm the benefits of wine, but my recommendation is that you consume it in moderation and never forget to say "Cheers!"