It seems that hardly a week goes by that we don’t find some news report about a study on the effects of wine on your health. I even did a full blown podcast about it some time ago. For those who aren’t into listening to mp3 files on their computers, here are the highlights.
It is generally accepted among medical professionals that one or two glasses of wine (around four ounces in a glass) per day reduces the death rate in a population. This has been described as a “J-shaped curve.” At no drinks a day, there is a certain mortality risk. With one glass, the risk goes down, and with two glasses it goes down a bit further. At three glasses you start increasing the risk again, and thereafter the risk increases above the level of zero drinks. This is all based on studies of wine and cardiovascular health.
There are, however, reasons to not drink this much wine. For example, there are some studies that indicate elevated wine consumption can be an increased risk factor for breast cancer. The tie is not conclusive, but those who have other risk factors may not want to add another one. In addition, people who have liver diseases should avoid alcohol as well.
Is wine better than other alcoholic beverages? Generally, yes. It appears there are compounds in red wines, especially, that have positive health effects. Pinot Noir, notably, has more resveratrol than any other red wine, meaning you get more of this heart-healthy compound in your glass than if it’s filled with Merlot. Beer, while often great with various foods, is a source of triglycerides–blood sugars that when elevated can be a risk factor for heart disease (my doctor described beer as “like drinking straight triglycerides”).
As my college chemistry professor liked to say in many settings, if a little is good, a lot is not necessarily better. Moderate consumption of wine seems to be the key–especially when you consider that a healthy liver can metabolize about 375ml (a half bottle) of wine before it begins encountering trouble.
Be sure to discuss wine consumption with your doctor. He or she is best qualified to guide you through this topic.
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