Vin chaud is a drink made by boiling wine and adding cinnamon, cloves, and fruits. In French, vin means wine and chaud means warm. It is said that vin chaud has been consumed as a medicinal wine brewed by adding spices to wine since ancient Egypt, and later became known throughout Europe through the Romans. It is known as a representative drink enjoyed in winter not only in France, which can be said to be the home of wine, but also in Germany, and northern European countries such as Sweden, Denmark, and Norway, where long-term harsh winters continue.
Characterized by its refreshing, sweet, and bitter taste, vin chaud has various beneficial effects on the body, such as improving blood vessel health and immunity, thanks to the antioxidants such as vitamin C and anthocyanin and resveratrol contained in red wine, cinnamon, and fruits, which are the main ingredients. It is also said to be very helpful in preventing various diseases. So today, let’s learn about the efficacy of vin chaud and how to make it one by one.
The main benefits of vin chaud
1. Vascular Health
Red wine, the main ingredient for making vin chaud, contains a large amount of polyphenols such as resveratrol, anthocyanins, and tannins. It is said that these antioxidants with excellent antioxidant power protect blood vessels from free radicals and at the same time prevent the aging of blood vessels through the increase of antioxidant enzymes.
In addition, various antioxidants in vin chaud lower the level of LDL cholesterol, which causes excessive production of debris, waste products, and inflammation in blood vessels, and increase HDL cholesterol, known as good cholesterol, to help prevent vascular diseases such as arteriosclerosis. said to give.
2. Boost immunity
Vin chaud not only contains abundant polyphenol-based antioxidants, but also contains a large amount of vitamin C, a major component of added fruits such as lemons and oranges. It is said that by the action of these various components, it effectively removes free radicals that attack and damage cells, helping to improve the immune function of the body. In addition, excessively generated free radicals are well known as a factor that accelerates skin aging, so it is said to have a beneficial effect on skin aging and skin beauty.
3. Rejuvenation
As vin chaud has been consumed as a beverage to help with rejuvenation in Europe since ancient times, it is said to help reduce fatigue and restore energy through excellent blood circulation and metabolic activity. In addition, it has an excellent effect on improving cold symptoms by warming the stomach and reducing cold air in the body. It can be said that the reason vin chaud is called the European Ssanghwacha is due to this effect.
How to make vin chaud
To make vin chaud, you need ingredients such as red wine, 2 or 3 cinnamon sticks, sugar, lemon, orange, apple, octagon, and cloves. Red wine is usually used, but white wine may be used. Also, if you do not have spices such as octagonal or cloves, you do not need to add them, but it is a good way to add these spices to enjoy the unique flavor of vin chaud.
The first thing to do to make vin chaud is to wash the fruits such as oranges, lemons, and apples, and then cut them into large pieces. After putting these fruits in a pot, pour red wine so that the fruits are fully absorbed, add sugar, cinnamon, etc., and heat for 30-40 minutes over low heat. After that, turn off the heat and leave it for 30 minutes to release the aroma and taste, then remove the ingredients and drink it warm.
When making vin chaud, if you heat it for more than an hour, the alcohol contained in the wine will fly away enough, so you can drink it without worrying too much about the alcohol content. Since this alcohol can vary depending on the heating time and cooking process, it is said that if the vin chaud is not boiled enough, it will remain. Therefore, it is said that it is a good way to purchase and drink non-alcoholic vin chaud if pregnant women need to be careful about alcohol intake.
