Is wine good for the heart?

A glass of wine a day is good for the heart. And wineries are capitalizing on the medical benefits assigned to their product. One winery is hosting a Women Take Heart program this month where women can taste wine, eat heart healthy snacks, and get tips on how to stay health from a cardiologist and nutritionist. Which begs the question—is wine really that healthy for the heart? Or do we just want to feel good about having a nice beverage in the evening?

According to one study ,“scientific research has demonstrated that the molecules present in grapes and in wine alter cellular metabolism and signaling, which is consistent mechanistically with reducing arterial disease.” The study fell short, however, of endorsing wine as a definite health-producing drink. Another study found that wine had a greater beneficial effects on “total mortality” than beer or other spirits, but warns that this only includes moderate wine consumption. Then again, perhaps it is only because we believe that wine is good for us that it produces beneficial side effects. A Danish study found that “a light to moderate wine intake is related to good self perceived health, whereas this is not the case for beer and spirits.”

With all of the conflicting evidence, I turn to the Mayo Clinic for conclusive advice. The take away is that red wine may reduce “bad” cholesterol and prevent blood clots, but a good doctor is unlikely to prescribe wine to combat heart disease due to the still inconclusive research on the topic. Resveratrol, which is found in the skin of grapes, may be the reason red wine lowers “bad” cholesterol. Resveratrol is also found in peanuts and cranberries, but it is unknown whether these foods would produce the same beneficial results that wine does. The Mayo Clinic also suggests that it is possible that it is the alcohol itself that is beneficial, inferring that a beer a day, or a shot a day could be a healthy substitute. The verdict is not yet out though so, for now, it may be best to stick with red wine, and only in small amounts (5 ounces/day) if any.