“It’s a misconception to believe wine is beneficial for health,” notes a cardiovascular expert. Drinking alcohol is linked to elevated blood pressure, liver disease, and digestive, mental health and immune system problems, as well as various cancers.
However, research indicates that drinking wine in moderation could have some small benefits for your heart, based on specialist views. This research suggests wine can help decrease levels of harmful cholesterol – which may lower the risk of heart disease, renal issues and stroke.
Wine is not a treatment. I discourage the idea that poor daily eating can be offset by consuming wine.
This is due to compounds that have properties which dilate vessels and reduce swelling, assisting in maintaining vascular openness and elasticity. Red wine also contains antioxidant compounds such as the antioxidant resveratrol, located in the peel of grapes, which may further support heart health.
Still, there are major caveats. A leading international health organization has published a statement reporting that no level of alcohol consumption is safe; the potential cardiac benefits of wine are eclipsed by it being a group 1 carcinogen, in the same category as asbestos and tobacco.
Other foods – such as berries and grapes provide comparable advantages to wine absent the harmful consequences.
“It’s not my recommendation for abstainers to start,” explains the cardiologist. But it’s also unreasonable to anticipate everyone who presently consumes alcohol to go teetotal, stating: “Restraint is essential. Maintain a reasonable approach. Beverages such as beer and liquor are laden with sugars and energy and can cause hepatic injury.”
He recommends consuming a maximum of 20 small wine glasses monthly. A leading cardiac foundation recommends not drinking more than 14 weekly units of alcohol (equivalent to six average wine glasses).
The fundamental takeaway is: One must not perceive wine as medicinal. Proper nutrition and positive life choices are the proven foundations for long-term heart health.
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