Does it have as many benefits as you think?

With so much publicity and marketing about the benefits of wine throughout the year, the inevitable question arises: Are the benefits of red wine really worth promoting? 

On cardiovascular benefits

Resveratrol is a powerful antioxidant that protects the body from free radicals. It is found in grapes, berries, peanuts and, of course, red wine. The first study came out in 1992, and since then the benefits of red wine for heart disease, diabetes and other chronic diseases continue to be touted.

Looking at studies, one of them involving 26 people, where it was shown that both LDL cholesterol and blood pressure decreased, all after 2 weeks of drinking 250 ml of red wine daily. But it was only 2 weeks and in a small group of 26 people who were also healthy individuals.

When it comes to heart health, do you know what really protects the heart, with plenty of studies to back it up? The physical exercise.

Exercise will give you cardiovascular benefits that wine unfortunately cannot give you, as the benefits of wine for the heart still need to prove themselves.

It may or may not help fight cancer...

There is only one study on this, but on the other hand there are many, many more that show that alcohol is a well-known carcinogen. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer ranks alcohol as group 1 (carcinogenic to humans). It has been linked to several types of cancer, including liver, breast and oesophageal cancer. It damages tissues and cells, supports other harmful carcinogens in the body and can also cause body weight gain, which may increase the risk of cancer. It is also believed to alter oestrogen levels in the body, which can lead to breast cancer.

What is certain, therefore, is that red wine is far from being a superfood, or a drink with many benefits.

• Research is lacking when it comes to the health effects and benefits of red wine.
• Most of the existing studies focus on animal studies and there are few human trials that have been able to establish a clear connection between red wine and health.
• Most published studies have shown only short-term effects of red wine, so it is difficult to say what the long-term effects might be.
• Alcohol is a carcinogen.

So, if you want to have a glass because you like it; go ahead. But if you want to do it because you think drinking red wine has health benefits, it's better to choose other, healthier ways of living - ways that don't involve drinking alcohol.

But do you have to give it up completely? Of course you don't.