Researchers discovered that French people lived longer than other people. They also found that the French consumed more red wine than other groups of people. Additionally, they had lower rates of heart disease.
A study done in the early 2000s showed that people who consumed red wine and followed a Mediterranean-style diet were less likely to develop heart disease. The study showed that people who consumed a glass or two of wine per day live longer than non-drinkers and heavy drinkers. It has been nearly 30 years since scientists discovered that red wine may be good for you.
However, further studies that have been done to illustrate the health benefits of red wine have had mixed results. Some studies suggest that consuming small amounts of any alcohol can improve health. It is not just red wine. A study that was done last year contradicted this belief. The study showed that drinking small amounts of alcohol can raise the risk of cancer and early death.
Aaron White is the senior scientific advisor for the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. He stated that he does not know why small amounts of alcohol are linked to diseases. However, he said that moderate alcohol consumption can still have a lot of health benefits.
Alcohol can benefit heart health because it increases good cholesterol, which is also known as the HDL. It can also benefit the vascular system. A study done by the University of California showed that adults who lived the longest consumed alcohol in moderation.
One of the problems that previous studies have had is that they have not identified other health factors. A 2006 study showed that wine drinkers typically ate healthier. Claudia Kawas is a professor of neurology at the University of California. She said that there are other factors that have to be analyzed.
For example, people who drink more typically socialize more. Socialization has health benefits. Dr. Paul Gow is a liver transplant physician who works at Australia Austin Health. He stated that it is hard to determine whether drinking alcohol really adds years to a person’s life.
