The truth behind drinking red wine

We’re right in the middle of winter, with temperatures set to drop even further through-out July. What better way to warm up on a chilly night than on the couch with a glass of red wine?

It’s a pleasure that many of us enjoy, but it doesn’t come without health warnings. So when we dedicate so much of our time to keeping fit and healthy, is a glass of Pinot helping us, or hindering?

Dry July is wrapping up, so let’s pour out a few facts as we head into a new month.

“There’s certainly some evidence suggesting that a small amount of red wine can be beneficial to heart health,” says Joel Feren, director of Hearty Nutrition and member of the Dietitian’s Association of Australia. “Studies show that it may improve vascular health – the state of our blood vessels.”

Researchers are divided on the topic. Red wine contains antioxidants and resveratrol, a chemical that may prevent damage to blood vessels and lower ‘bad’ cholesterol. Resveratrol is found in the skin of grapes, so red wine (which is fermented with the skin on for longer) contains more of it than white.

But while some research in the past suggested small amounts of red wine may prevent some cancers, the UK government has performed a U-turn on its stance on red wine (and alcohol in general), underlining its threat to our health. Under updated guidelines, drinkers are recommended to take a two-day break each week to let their livers recover.

“A little bit has some health benefits,” says Joel, “but too much may potentially cause heart disease, issues with mental illness, and even high blood pressure. The recommendation [in New Zealand] at the moment is no more than two standard drinks per day.”

But contrary to what the Brits are saying, a Harvard study concluded that having up to six alcoholic drinks a week doesn’t, in fact, pose a long-term risk of heart attack or stroke.

“What we’re dealing with at the moment is that we know there is some benefit,” says Joel, “but there’s more research to be done until we can say, ‘Yes this is a fantastic thing that we all should be having in our diets.’”

So why isn’t there a definitive stance on red wine?

Joel explains that current research tends to be epidemiological. In these kinds of studies, researchers can make comparisons between people who drink occasionally, regularly and those who drink heavily. By looking at a population group like this, they can come to conclusions about our drinking habits and the effect they have on our health, but other kinds of studies could yield more specific results.

“It’s very hard to do what we call a ‘randomised control trial’”, he says. “You’d have to control for exercise and every other aspect of their diet, and then manipulate their alcohol intake to identify whether the variable you’re manipulating is having an effect.”

Because of these difficulties, most studies are carried out on animals, using doses much larger than those recommended for people. This means a definitive conclusion isn’t on the horizon.

In the meantime, if we do drink red wine, how can we incorporate this habit into our healthy lifestyle in a thoughtful way?

Researchers, medics and the government agree on one thing: it all comes down to how much you drink. One tip for keeping it moderate, says Joel, is to be present in the act.

“One thing that I talk about with my patients is mindfulness. If you are going to drink, be present and really enjoy it. So many times, if you’re sitting in front of a movie with a glass of wine, you drink mindlessly. You don’t pick up on the different notes of the wine, or the different flavours, or the taste. So if you are going to drink it, be in the moment to really enjoy it.”

And if you’re going to have a drink, enjoy a glass and not the bottle.

For now, the real benefits of drinking red wine are subjective. Studies show there are tangible health benefits, but until more research is completed, we’ll take ‘health benefits’ to mean the pleasure of sharing a glass with a friend.

After all, we’re firm believers that with moderation in mind, a little bit of what you like can do you good.