Bench Pressing the Bottle
Photograph by Marcus Lam; Flickr
Ever heard the conjecture that calories don’t count on Jewish holidays?
It’s crazy, we know, but the more I think about it, there might be some modicum of truth to it.
By now we’ve all heard about studies showing that red wine contains resveratrol, a chemical compound naturally produced by some plants, which benefits the human heart, muscles and bones.
This week, the Latin Times put a new twist on this already encouraging piece of information: Drinking red wine, they posited, might be as good for you as going to the gym.
The report referenced a team of scientists at the University of Alberta, Canada, who discovered the resveratrol in red wine. It went on to say that the compound benefits the human body in much the same way as a workout.
Red wine is known for having benefits, from promoting heart health and longevity to reducing the risk of colon cancer and cataracts, but never before has it been deemed “better than going to the gym,” as the article’s headline tantalizingly suggests.
The paper’s astute analysis got me thinking: Maybe that’s why Judaism dictates a glass of wine, preferably red, for kiddush, the ritual blessing on wine, every Shabbat and holiday.
Every time Jews feast — on Shabbat, Sukkot, Purim, Pessach and everything in between — we drink wine. This new spin on the old science is like a divine revelation from Sinai: Don’t worry about the gym, just follow the Torah, drink when God says drink, and you’ll be in as great shape as a champion weight lifter.
Sign me up.
So just to recap the equation: You eat. You drink. Drinking equals workout. It’s just like you burned calories.
It’s as clear as the Talmud, right?
L’chaim.
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we need 500 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Our Goal: 500 gifts during our Passover Pledge Drive!
