A lot of individuals think that drinking red wine can have some really positive effects on one’s health. This is due to earlier research suggesting that moderate consumption of red wine is linked to a lower risk of cancer, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and longer life expectancy. However, wait before pulling out the corkscrew.
Any form of alcohol isn’t really healthy for you. According to a 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis that examined the drinking patterns of almost 5 million people and was published in the journal JAMA Network Open, drinking even small amounts of alcohol (roughly two drinks per day) did not significantly reduce the risk of death, but exceeding that amount actually increased the risk.
A brief statement from the World Health Organization in January 2023 reads, “No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health.” As a toxic substance that can cause at least seven types of cancer, including breast and colon cancer, the WHO has classified alcohol in the highest risk group, along with radiation, asbestos, and tobacco.
“Moreover, there are no studies that would demonstrate that the potential beneficial effects of light and moderate drinking on cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes outweigh the cancer risk associated with these same levels of alcohol consumption for individual consumers,” according to the WHO.
Red wine is still recommended as the healthiest choice behind the bar, despite this. Experts discuss common misconceptions about red wine here.
When did red wine turn become a beneficial luxury?
“Morley Safer discussed the ‘French paradox’ in a 1991 60 Minutes episode, which is where the idea that drinking red wine can have heart health benefits originated,” says Heather Hausenblas, CEO of Wellness Discovery Labs and founder, as well as a scientific researcher with a focus on health psychology, in an interview with Yahoo Life.
Scientists came up with the term “French paradox,” which refers to the idea that, in comparison to Americans, the French have lower incidence of cardiovascular disease despite eating a high-fat diet and drinking red wine. Safer hypothesized that the red wine may be aiding in the body’s “flush fatty deposits” removal.
“After that episode aired, sales of red wine skyrocketed,” points out Hausenblas.
However, as integrative and functional registered dietitian nutritionist Jessica Marcus, owner of Veda Nutrition, points out to Yahoo Life, there are a number of issues with this finding. “Observational data is the foundation of studies that support the notion that alcohol is beneficial,” she says. “With these kinds of studies, it’s very difficult to draw causal conclusions because there are so many confounding variables or other potential factors that could be causing the results.”
Marcus gives the example of coming to the conclusion that residing in Colorado has a higher risk of leg fractures than does residing in Arizona. But Colorado is likely home to a higher number of skiers than Arizona, and skiers are more likely to break a leg than non-skiers. That is a confusing factor.
Hausenblas and Marcus both enumerate a number of confounding factors that contribute to the French paradox: the French eat more fruits and vegetables, walk more frequently, consume less sugar and processed foods, have lower rates of obesity, and have stronger social ties than Americans.
“And to further complicate this picture, there is evidence that French doctors have underreported heart disease over the years,” says Marcus. “It’s also now known that many of these studies had ties to the alcohol industry, which definitely begs the question of their validity.”
And what about red wine’s antioxidants?
Resveratrol, a chemical present in red grapes and, consequently, red wine, functions similarly to antioxidants in that it aids in shielding the body from free radicals, which can harm cells and result in long-term illnesses including cancer and cardiovascular disease. This one nutritional fact has contributed to the ongoing promotion of red wine’s health advantages while decrying other alcoholic beverages as indulgences or even vices.
“But the evidence suggesting red wine helps prevent heart disease is pretty weak,” says Marcus. “The resveratrol studies have been done in mice, and you’d have to drink so much red wine to get the therapeutic amount — over 100 glasses! — that it clearly isn’t a viable argument.”
Hausenblas notes that resveratrol can also be found in dark chocolate, blueberries, cranberries, peanuts, and pistachios.
Why then does red wine still enjoy such a positive reputation?
According to Hausenblas, psychologically speaking, people “100%” enjoy to hear that their ostensibly unhealthy habits are beneficial to them. Marcus concurs. “To start with, it’s undeniably practical and aligns with an alcoholic American culture,” she says. “Moreover, the alcohol sector is highly lucrative, so marketing funds are abundant.” Ultimately, the world market for red wine was valued at over $92 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow to around $143 billion by 2030.
Marcus questions whether the recent research on the negative health consequences of drinking alcohol will shift the narrative. “While the studies suggesting higher risks with cancer are concerning, I wonder if people just need more evidence to be convinced to break a habit that has been so deeply ingrained in our culture.”
However, Hausenblas thinks that the red wine health benefit and the custom of ordering wine, beer, or a cocktail in social settings may be gradually waning. “Even a single glass of red wine can cause sleep disturbances, and it seems like we’re starting to realize that alcohol of any kind is truly bad for us,” she claims. “It will take some time, but I think the tide is turning.”
