Do you need a reasonable excuse to drink at least one or two glasses of wine each night? How bout five (reasons, not glasses)?

Aside from giving you a good buzz and making you witty, drinking red wine every night has some very legitimate health benefits. Many trials have been conducted to investigate the health effects of moderate red wine intake, and the wise people at Oregon State University's College of Agricultural Studies identified some of the most interesting ones in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry.

Protection Against Alzheimer's: Resveratrol, an antioxidant, has a good capacity to defend against cell loss and to mitigate the symptoms of age-related mental deterioration.

The New Workout Routine: Although lifting a glass to your lips can burn a few calories, the real advantage comes from resveratrol, which has been shown to increase physical endurance and muscle strength.It also has related cardiovascular benefits to exercise. It should be remembered that the rewards are minimal, so don't give up on your gym membership just yet.

Cancer Fighting: Researchers aren't sure how, but according to the Australian Cancer Society, another potent antioxidant in red wine known as quercetin acts against cancer cells. It aids in the induction of normal cell death in some tumors, most notably colon cancer.

The Fountain of Youth: Red wine fans have a 34% lower death rate than beer and vodka drinkers.
In this analysis, resveratrol was identified as the compound responsible for the longevity benefits.
Although researchers agree that any diet high in polyphenols will help combat chronic disease, red wine has a higher concentration than other foods.

Improved sex life: Red wine increases blood supply to specific, er, body parts. According to an Italian poll, women who consumed more than two glasses of wine a day had higher sex drive than abstainers, whereas men who drank red wine had higher levels of testosterone, which is associated with having a high sex drive, according to a 2012 report.