Is red wine a health food?
A low-to-moderate intake has long been hailed as a way to protect against heart disease, yet official advice states there are no grounds for drinking any form of alcohol for health reasons. So can a good bottle of cabernet sauvignon keep our arteries unclogged, or do alcohol’s risks outweigh any benefits? Sue Quinn uncorks the debate
THE SANE VIEW
For decades, studies have suggested that drinking a modest amount of wine can be good for the heart. Research in the late 1970s published in The Lancet medical journal found that certain countries had relatively low levels of heart disease despite diets high in saturated fat. The study attributed this phenomenon to high intakes of wine, and later research dubbed this the French Paradox. A slew of studies followed that supported the links between red wine and heart health.
The world loved the idea that red wine could mitigate the effects of gorging on cheese, dairy and red meat, and media headlines implied this link was proven. But shortcomings in the research were soon identified. Some scientists pointed out that the link was based on epidemiological studies, which are the least reliable form of scientific research (in that they can’t prove that a specific risk factor actually causes the disease being studied – or the reverse), so did not actually prove red wine protected our hearts against disease.