a hippocratic toast

by John Fanning

The idea of wine contributing positively to your health appears to be everywhere these days. New research and discoveries seem to have people genuinely surprised (and a bit suspicious!) that wine could actually be beneficial for you. In reality, the idea is far from a new one, but we now have the scientific methods to analytically prove what ancient civilizations knew thousands of years ago.

Perhaps the earliest advocate of wine-as-medicine was Greek physician Hippocrates, born in 460 BC. Hippocrates had an astounding grasp of how the human body functions and wrote, “Wine is a wonderful thing, apt in health as well as in illness. It is prescribed by necessity and in certain amounts in compliance with the individual build.” He developed the fundamental theory that the four humors of the body need to be in balance to attain optimum physical and mental health. He used wine medicinally to help maintain the balance of these four humors.

This was but one role of wine in Hippocrates’ practice; he used wine to help cool fevers, to assist in difficult childbirth, and even to decrease lethargy. The great doctor resourcefully used wine for sanitary purposes as well, such as cleaning wounds and disinfecting surgical tools.

Hippocrates even distinguished between the healing properties of red vs. white wine. A soft red wine was advised for nourishment and to alleviate bowel problems; a harsh white wine was prescribed for dropsy and to help expel excess fluids from the body.

The drink we know as vermouth was actually created by Hippocrates. Formerly known as Hippocras, the mixture of wine, honey, spices, and herbs was fashioned strictly with medicinal purposes in mind. Hippocrates believed in the healing properties of food and drink and noted, “Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food.”

Now this would all mean little if Hippocrates’ theories and practices were not being scientifically proven correct today. His use of red wine as a digestive aid is a perfect example; it has been confirmed that red wine stimulates the production of hydrochloric acid, which does indeed aid digestion. When you consider that the man still referred to as “The Father of Western Medicine” prescribed wine for a multitude of ailments, it is a bit of a mystery why it took us so long to recognize wine for its medicinal purposes.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: John Fanning has worked at vineyards and wineries all over the world, including the Finger Lakes, Oregon, and Tuscany. He is currently a Wine Specialist at Marketview Liquor in Henrietta.