The late Dr Michael Mosley once noted that a widely consumed drink may offer several health benefits, including helping to lower cholesterol, blood pressure and the risk of diabetes.
Red Wine and Health Benefits
Before his passing, he presented the BBC Radio 4 series Just One Thing. In the programme, he said that a small glass of red wine may help improve cholesterol levels. While stressing that "all alcohol is bad for you", the BBC series noted that you may want to replace your gin or beer with a glass of red wine.
It read: "Red wine is rich in compounds called polyphenols, which naturally occur in plants. They have multiple beneficial effects: lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart disease and diabetes, and even boosting your gut microbiome."
Scientific Studies Supporting Red Wine
The BBC Radio 4 page described a 2015 study in Israel where 224 people with diabetes who did not usually drink alcohol were randomly given red wine, white wine, or mineral water with dinner each night for two years. Those who drank red wine showed the best results, with improved cholesterol levels and, unexpectedly, better sleep quality.
The benefits don’t end there, as some red wine drinkers also showed improved blood sugar control, and the results are said to be more than just a coincidence. It was further explained: "This was no fluke: another study from Spain showed that drinking red wine can improve your body’s response to insulin, resulting in an ability to clear sugar from your blood more quickly."
For the best effect, it was suggested to drink it with a meal, as the expert noted that this is healthier than drinking it on its own.
Can It Lower My Risk of Diabetes?
A long-term study of 312,000 people over about 11 years found that having a glass of wine with meals was linked to a 14% lower risk of type 2 diabetes. The benefit was only seen when wine was consumed with food and in moderation.
Healthy Gut Microbiome
Tim Spector, Professor of Epidemiology at King’s College London, also explained how red wine was shown to boost our microbiome, according to data collected from nearly 5,000 people: “What we found was that the red wine drinkers had a healthier, more diverse gut microbiome than non-drinkers. And generally, alcohol drinkers had worse microbiomes than non-drinkers.”
The gut microbiome is one of those rare things in the human body that isn’t influenced by our genes but purely environmental and under dietary control, he stated. And it seems “red wine might actually – in small, modest amounts – be good for our guts”.
A diverse microbiome means having a wide variety of different bacteria in your gut. “Basically, you have a living pharmacy that’s able to produce much more healthy chemicals than you would otherwise be able to do,” explained Tim Spector, adding that “these are crucial to help your metabolism, and to help your immune system and to help your digestion”.
Moderation is Key
“We’re definitely not saying that alcohol itself is good for you,” Tim Spector stressed. The study showed that once you approach three glasses of red a day on average, you lose any benefit, with the experts saying that one glass with a meal is ideal.
“Looking at the studies, that would seem to be fine for most people,” he said. But not the whoppers you might get in the pub! “We’re talking about traditional French wine glasses where you’d get six to a bottle.”
So, red wine may be the better choice. Having a small glass or two a few times a week could support your gut bacteria and heart health.
Although alcohol may seem to help you relax or cope in the short term, regular or heavy drinking can harm your mental health over time. If you need advice and support, Drinkaware have urged people to seek support and check their online resources.
You can also try the free services below for further help, whether it is about alcohol or another mental health issue.
- Call 116 123 to talk to Samaritans, or email: jo@samaritans.org for a reply within 24 hours
- Text “SHOUT” to 85258 to contact the Shout Crisis Text Line, or text “YM” if you’re under 19
- If you’re under 19, you can also call 0800 1111 to talk to Childline. The number will not appear on your phone bill.
