Red wine – is it good or bad for you? It protects against obesity and Alzheimer’s, studies show – but only if drunk in moderation, experts say

Rich in antioxidants, red wine has been shown to have a number of health benefits – but if you drink to much of it, you negate them and create other problems

One expert shares tips for reaping wine’s benefits while staying healthy, such as ensuring you exercise enough and adopting a plant-based diet

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Red wine is believed to have a number of health benefits such as protecting the brain from the effects of Alzheimer’s disease – but it should be drunk in moderation. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 6:30pm, 10 Jan 2020Updated: 6:36pm, 10 Jan 2020

Over the years, we have heard much about the health benefits of red wine. When consumed in moderation, studies have found that various types of red wine may protect against a range of diseases.

In a study published in 2010 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN), researchers from the Israel Institute of Technology reported that red wine might enhance blood vessel cell health, thereby improving the flow of blood.

In another study, also published in the same issue of the AJCN, scientists from the University of Ulm in Germany revealed that resveratrol – a naturally occurring compound found in red wine and the skin of red grapes – may influence the function of fat cells and reduce the risk of obesity-related health conditions.

Resveratrol is also found in blueberries, cranberries, peanuts and plain chocolate. According to another study, whose findings were published in 2015 in the journal Neurology, this powerful polyphenol or micronutrient may also protect the brain from the effects of Alzheimer’s disease, a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behaviour.

Studies have found that red wine may protect against a range of diseases – when consumed in moderation. Photo: Shutterstock

More recently, a study done by researchers at King’s College London in the UK found that people who consumed red wine had a greater number of different bacterial species in their gut – a sign of gut health – than people who did not drink red wine. The authors of the study theorised that this was due to the presence of polyphenols in red wine; polyphenols are thought to act as a “fuel” for gut microbes.