In other words, white wine may have the same health benefits — if wine has benefits at all. Most researchers, however, have found that the vast majority of any believed health benefits apply only to red wine. Red wine may be good for gut health, which has numerous benefits to the rest of our body, including improved immunity and digestion, and a healthier weight.
In a recent study, researchers studied the drinking habits of twins and found that drinking red wine could improve the diversity of bacteria in the gut, which is linked to better health. But the observed benefits on gut health were found with just one glass of red wine per week, and anyone drinking more than two small glasses a day was excluded from the study. Find out how your the bugs in your belly could heal your brain. A glass of red wine a night is associated with lower BMI and better gut health, but red wine drinkers may simply be healthier to begin with Credit: Getty Images.
The researchers also found that people who drank red wine had a lower body mass index BMI. This also could be why drinking red wine in moderation is associated with health. And randomised control trials, where participants are split into groups and their health measured as they follow different diets, can be particularly unethical when it involves alcohol. There have been a few randomised control trials — but these have been less than conclusive.
Another randomised control study from found that drinking ml of red wine again, the amount held in a champagne flute , can lower the risk of developing stroke and heart disease among people with diabetes. Research generally attributes any protective mechanism to resveratrol. There has been increasing attention on resveratrol supplements in recent years. However, data on the effectiveness of resveratrol pills is conflicting.
Bertelli argues that we need the alcohol component of wine to absorb resveratrol. According to UK guidelines, which are among the most stringent globally, we should drink no more than 14 units of alcohol per week. While the research on any health benefits of wine is nascent, it is still largely agreed that the healthiest option is to abstain — and that red wine is the healthiest option for those who do drink. There are other ways to boost our health more effectively than drinking wine… such as eating fruits and vegetables Credit: Getty Images.
What happened? That surge of scientific wet-blanket-ness has largely focused on two systematic errors that researchers like Naimi argue were messing up alcohol studies for many years. It might even be highly statistically significant. When epidemiologists study something like alcohol consumption and mortality, they control for a lot of potential confounders.
But those are the obvious factors. And people who drink, but are able to keep their drinking at a reasonable level, are likely to have the kind of health and social advantages associated with living longer. I think a lot of the work people have done shows that people who are moderate drinkers are more educated, belong to country clubs, and drive nice cars.
But does a little bit of alcohol cause them to do better in college or to drive a BMW? The answer is: not likely. But like people who get older, people who develop heart problems and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease tend to decrease or entirely stop their drinking.
A study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that even after adjusting for age and gender, 27 of a total 30 heart disease risk factors were more common amongst non-drinkers, from obesity to low levels of education to physical activity.
Epidemiologists can try to control for some of these, but there are simply too many factors that influence your risk of cardiovascular disease. Polyphenols are proven to have " vaso-relaxing effects on the coronary microvessels," which in other words, means the natural chemicals found in red wine can help relax our blood vessels, aiding in the prevention of blood clots and other cardiovascular issues. Red wine also raises levels of lipoproteins HDL , also known as "good cholesterol.
So it's not always rainbows and sunshine, right? Alcohol can mess with our natural circadian rhythm , aka our body's natural clock, even in small doses.
A study done on sleep and alcohol by the National Institute of Health revealed that when we drink even a moderate amount of alcohol, our bodies go through a " rebound effect. The alcohol takes about hours to leave your system, which means that the sleep disruption you do experience during the second half of the night is the alcohol making its way out of your body. Looking for more tips?
Sign up for our newsletter to get daily recipes and food news in your inbox! Wine is a comforting, delicious drink to have at the end of the day and when you might be feeling stressed or anxious during times of uncertainty. But it's important to not forget that alcohol, even in small doses, can be an addictive substance. And with substances like alcohol, it can sometimes be easier than we think to develop a dependence. Rick Grugza, an epidemiologist who has been studying alcohol use for years, has found that drinking in larger quantities is steadily on the rise.
Many epidemiologists and health experts believe that this could be because of the culture surrounding drinking : the after-work happy hours multiple times a week, or the multiple glasses a night to relieve stress at home. As with anything in life, moderation is key, so it's important to just be aware of how much you're drinking throughout your week and how it's impacting your life, day-to-day.
The simple answer: yes! The not-so-simple answer: it's ultimately up to you. Research still supports the idea that light to moderate amounts of red wine one glass per night have mostly beneficial or neutral effects on our health.
Overall, even if red wine can have some positive effects on your body, but it's not a habit you need to start if you don't already drink.
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