You may have read before that alcohol is good for your heart and that it can help protect it from cardiovascular disease. This statement holds true to some extent but let’s get all of the confusion and misunderstandings ironed out.
Like many things, alcohol – red wine specifically – can be beneficial to your health in moderation. Red wine has polyphenols in it that reduce the that can:
- reduce the risk of blood clots
- reduce LDL (or ‘bad’) cholesterol
- prevent damage to blood vessels in your heart
- help maintain a healthy blood pressure.
Red wine also contains antioxidants which help to:
- increase HDL (or ‘good’) cholesterol
- lower blood pressure
- reduce the number of cancer causing cells in ones body
So binge drinking or going out for a big night with your friends will not likely benefit your heart or health but drinking responsibly and enjoying less then 2 glasses of wine per day for females and 3 glasses per day for males may be have some health benefits.
Samantha, Bilingual Health Educator
