Does red wine really have health benefits?

• Red wine contains bioactive compounds called polyphenols. These may support some aspects of health due to antioxidant effects. But there are safer sources of polyphenols than wine.

• Evidence for the health benefits of wine is far from conclusive, and much of the research comes from laboratory and animal studies.

• Moderation matters: Small amounts may be low risk, but higher intakes increase the risk of health issues.

Drinking too much alcohol comes with serious health risks. However, some evidence suggests that drinking red wine in small amounts may have some health benefits. 

Research shows that small amounts of red wine might reduce your chances of developing heart disease and improve your gut health. Overall, though, there is still a great deal of debate on this issue, and many questions remain unanswered.

The potential health benefits of red wine are attributed to plant nutrients called polyphenols, which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. 

Polyphenols are found in the pulp, seeds, and stems of red grapes, which are crushed to make wine. Interestingly, the amount of polyphenols increases when the juice of the grapes goes through the winemaking process. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advise that drinking too much alcohol can elevate your risk of high blood pressure, cancer, liver disease, and stroke. If you do drink red wine, it’s therefore best to do so in moderation, and definitely not every day.

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Read on to learn about the pros and cons of red wine. 

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Is it OK to drink red wine every day?

A 5 ounce glass of red wine (around 150 milliliters) per day with an alcohol content of 12% falls within U.S. guidelines for moderate drinking. 

The government’s 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that men have no more than two drinks a day and women no more than one. 

For example, one study concluded that one or two drinks a day may help to keep your brain functioning well as you get older, maintaining things like vocabulary and word recall. 

But another study found links between drinking this amount and an increased risk of certain kinds of cancer.

The CDC recommend that regular drinkers try to cut down in order to reduce their risk of alcohol-related illnesses. One way to do this is to have one or two alcohol-free days each week. 

Should you swap white wine for red?

If you enjoy an occasional drink, there could be some good reasons to swap your glass of white for red. 

As part of the winemaking process, red wine spends longer in contact with the skins and seeds of the grapes than white wine. As a result, red wine has more polyphenols.

Red wine health benefits

Many of the benefits attributed to red wine are thought to be due to its high levels and wide variety of antioxidants called polyphenols.

However, a lot of the research investigating the benefits of these bioactives is in its early stages and often involves animal models rather than humans.

Catechins and epicatechins

Two types of polyphenols found in red wine are catechins and epicatechins. They contribute to the bitter aspects of red wine’s flavor, but research also suggests that they might reverse skin damage caused by UV exposure. 

Importantly, though, this research did not study red wine. Rather, it looked at the effects of these compounds in isolation. The addition of alcohol may mean that these benefits are minimized or even reversed.

Alcohol-free sources of catechins and epicatechins:

• black tea

• dark chocolate (opt for at least 70% cocoa)

• blackberries

• black grapes

• broadbeans

• plums

• raspberries

Resveratrol

Resveratrol is another polyphenol common in red wine. Animal and cell model studies suggest it may have the potential to reduce the growth of cancer cells.

Similarly, other animal studies have linked the polyphenol resveratrol to a reduced risk of diseases like cancer, Alzheimer's, and diabetes. Again, though, these studies are not investigating red wine, just resveratrol itself.

Alcohol-free sources of resveratrol:

• oats

• sweet potatoes

• pears

• grapes

• peaches

• tangerines

• oranges

• walnuts

Other suggested benefits of drinking red wine include:

Better gut health? 

Scientists have linked the bacteria that live in your gut to how well your body breaks down food, your immune system health, and even your brain function. 

ZOE scientific co-founder and gut microbiome expert Prof. Tim Spector describes polyphenols as “rocket fuel for your gut microbes.” 

In a recent study, Prof. Spector and his team found that participants who drank red wine regularly had a more diverse gut microbiome. Importantly, they also write that "even rare consumption may be sufficient" to increase diversity.

Does grape juice have the same benefits?

If red wine might have potential health benefits, how about the fruit it’s made from? Could you get the same effects from eating red grapes or drinking grape juice as from drinking red wine?

The process of fermentation that turns grape juice into alcohol in red wine actually increases its range of polyphenols. 

Nevertheless, grapes already contain plenty of polyphenols in their natural state, including resveratrol. 

Grapes and grape juice may have some of the potential benefits of red wine — and without the alcohol.

Health risks of drinking alcohol

Despite the potential health benefits associated with drinking small amounts of red wine, alcohol is still a toxin.

Drinking beyond moderation can lead to serious damage to your organs:

• Liver: This includes conditions like alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis — repeated scarring of the liver that can stop it from functioning properly and can be life-threatening. 

• Brain: Research shows that alcohol reduces the amount of grey matter in the brain.

• Heart and blood vessels: Drinking too much puts stress on your heart and increases your risk of heart disease and stroke. 

• Pancreas: Long-term alcohol consumption can lead to a potentially painful condition called pancreatitis — inflammation of the pancreas — which interferes with digestion.

• Cancer: Alcohol consumption increases your risk of several types of cancer, including mouth and throat cancer, and breast cancer in women. 

Summary

Red wine is rich in antioxidants called polyphenols. White wine doesn’t contain the same amount of these beneficial chemicals. 

When consumed in moderation, red wine may have health benefits, although this is still controversial and research is ongoing

Importantly, drinking more than a moderate amount of alcohol is linked to a greater risk of serious health conditions, including liver damage, heart disease, stroke, and cancer.

ZOE's research shows that everyone responds differently to the food and drink they consume because each person’s biology is unique. 

Become a ZOE Member to find out more about ZOE's personalized nutrition program and how we can help you achieve your long-term health goals.  

FAQs

What happens if I drink red wine daily?

While some evidence suggests that drinking small amounts of red wine each day might be linked to health benefits, not all research agrees.

It's best to have at least a couple of alcohol-free days each week to give your liver a rest.

Is red wine good for you?

Red wine contains some plant chemicals associated with good health. However, it also contains alcohol, which is a toxin. So, it's a complex question and the research is mixed. Overall, though, a small glass of red wine a couple of days a week may support health with relatively low health risks.

Should I start drinking red wine for the health benefits?

If you don't already drink alcohol, you shouldn't start drinking red wine for health reasons. There are plenty of other sources of healthy polyphenols that don't contain alcohol.

But if you already drink other forms of alcohol, you might benefit from moving to red wine.

But the most important thing is to drink in moderation and give your body a couple of alcohol-free days each week.

Is wine good for pregnancy?

No. Drinking during pregnancy can cause harm to the baby. The more you drink, the greater the risks. If you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant, you should avoid alcohol.