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December 2008

We've all heard stories about how a drop of red wine is good for the heart, but is this really true? Is it a myth perpetuated by the wine trade or does it really have magical, life -prolonging properties? After all, wine is of course an alcoholic drink and we all know alcohol is bad for you, right? Well, it certainly is if you drink too much. An estimated 60 people die each day in the U.K. from alcohol-related causes.

Taken in moderation however, alcohol has been proved to do more good than harm. It helps lower cholesterol levels, improves blood circulation and lowers the risk of blood clots (just in case you're unaware, healthy alcohol limits are 3-4 units per day for men, 2-3 for women).

So if it's the alcohol (in moderation) that has these health benefits, why is red wine singled out as the elixir of life and not all booze in general? According to scientists, red wine contains high levels of polyphenols, which are anti-oxidants said to reduce the risk of heart disease. The general rule is that the darker the wine is, the higher the level of polyphenols it contains, with wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes having the highest content. If we approach this theory from another angle though, it could be said that the wine, acting as an anti-oxidant, is merely cleansing the system of poisons we put in as part of an unhealthy lifestyle, and if we took more care in choosing our diets then the wine wouldn't really have any benefit as our bodies wouldn't be full of oxidants in the first place!

So what of white wine? Until recently it wasn't reknowned for having any special healing powers but lately scientists have claimed that certain compounds found in white wine, such as tyrosol and caffeic acid, can act as anti-inflammatories, helping to reduce the risk of osteoporosis and arthritis.

Some people will argue that all the evidence in favour of wine is circumstantial and the best way to stay healthy is to watch your diet and excercise regularly, and that is obviously a valid point. Whether wine does have mystical healing properties remains an open debate, but to me the value of wine is purely the pleasure of the drinking, which, (I'll state again, done in moderation) if it won't help you live forever it certainly won't do you any harm.

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