Which red wine is good for your heart

Table of Contents Show

Grape expectations
Resveratrol reservations
Is red wine good for your heart?
Senior Dietitian Victoria Taylor says:
Meet the expert
More useful information
Which red wines are best for your heart?
What is the healthiest red wine for you?
Is it OK to drink red wine everyday?
What kind of red wine is good for cholesterol?

Have you ever topped off your glass of cabernet or pinot noir while saying, "Hey, it’s good for my heart, right?" This widely held impression dates back to a catchphrase coined in the late 1980s: the French Paradox.

The French Paradox refers to the notion that drinking wine may explain the relatively low rates of heart disease among the French, despite their fondness for cheese and other rich, fatty foods. This theory helped spur the discovery of a host of beneficial plant compounds known as polyphenols. Found in red and purple grape skins (as well as many other fruits, vegetables, and nuts), polyphenols theoretically explain wine’s heart-protecting properties. Another argument stems from the fact that the Mediterranean diet, an eating pattern shown to ward off heart attacks and strokes, features red wine.

However, the evidence that drinking red wine in particular (or alcohol in general, for that matter) can help you avoid heart disease is pretty weak, says Dr. Kenneth Mukamal, an internist at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. All of the research showing that people who drink moderate amounts of alcohol have lower rates of heart disease is observational. Such studies can’t prove cause and effect, only associations.

Moderate drinking — defined as one drink per day for healthy women and two drinks per day for healthy men — is widely considered safe. But to date, the health effects of alcohol have never been tested in a long-term, randomized trial.

Grape expectations

Although some studies suggest wine is better for the heart than beer or hard liquor, others do not, according to a review article about wine and cardiovascular health in the Oct. 10, 2017, issue of Circulation. That’s not surprising, says Dr. Mukamal. "In many cases, it’s difficult to tease out the effect of drinking patterns from specific types of alcoholic beverages," he explains. For example, people who drink wine are more likely do so as part of a healthy pattern, such as drinking a glass or two with a nice meal. Those habits — rather than their choice of alcohol —may explain their heart health.

Also, the French Paradox may not be so paradoxical after all. Many experts now believe that factors other than wine may account for the observation, such as lifestyle and dietary differences, as well as earlier underreporting of heart disease deaths by French doctors. What’s more, Dr. Mukamal notes, heart disease rates in Japan are lower than in France, yet the Japanese drink a lot of beer and clear spirits, but hardly any red wine.

Resveratrol reservations

What about the polyphenols in red wine, which include resveratrol, a compound that’s heavily advertised as a heart-protecting and anti-aging supplement? Research in mice is compelling, says Dr. Mukamal. But there’s zero evidence of any benefit for people who take resveratrol supplements. And you’d have to drink a hundred to a thousand glasses of red wine daily to get an amount equivalent to the doses that improved health in mice, he says. Also, a 2014 study of older adults living in the Chianti region of Italy, whose diets were naturally rich in resveratrol, found no link between resveratrol levels (measured by a breakdown product in urine samples) and rates of heart disease, cancer, or death. As for the Mediterranean diet, it’s impossible to know whether red wine is an important part of why that eating style helps reduce heart disease, says Dr. Mukamal.

If you enjoy red wine, be sure to limit yourself to moderate amounts. Measure out 5 ounces (which equals one serving) in the glass you typically use. Five ounces appears smaller in a large goblet than in a standard wine glass. Also, older men should be aware that both the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and the American Geriatric Society recommend that starting at age 65, men should limit their alcohol use to no more than a single drink per day. Age-related changes, including a diminished ability to metabolize alcohol, make higher amounts risky regardless of gender.

Image: Rostislav_Sedlacek/Getty Images

Is red wine good for your heart?

Senior Dietitian Victoria Taylor says:

Red wine is sometimes seen as a healthy choice, particularly as we associate it with the Mediterranean diet. But while it is often included in the traditional diet, it isn’t an essential part and should be drunk in moderation. It contains antioxidants, which reportedly have a range of benefits. However, other foods – including grapes, blueberries and strawberries – provide antioxidants without the negative effects of alcohol.

There is some evidence that a moderate intake of alcohol brings a small reduction in heart disease risk. But this is not the case for other conditions, such as stroke and vascular dementia, and alcohol is linked to some cancers.

BHF-funded research published in 2018 looking at the effect of alcohol consumption on heart and circulatory diseases concluded that the risks outweigh the benefits, and drinking more than the recommended limits will have a negative effect on your health.

It’s therefore not a good idea to drink wine to protect your heart. If you do drink alcohol, don’t exceed 14 units a week. A unit is 10ml of pure alcohol, so 14 units is about six medium (175ml) glasses of wine (13 per cent ABV) or six pints of lager or cider (four per cent ABV) – this is a maximum, not a target. If you do drink 14 units a week, spread them out and have some alcohol-free days, as binge drinking can increase your heart disease and stroke risk.

If you’re taking medications, you should also talk to your doctor or pharmacist about any effect alcohol might have.

Meet the expert

Victoria Taylor is the BHF’s Senior Dietitian with 20 years’ experience.

More useful information

Which red wines are best for your heart?

The 9 Most Heart-healthy Red Wines.

Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir is considered the healthiest red wine you can drink. ... .

Sagrantino. A rare grape from Umbria – a region in central Italy – Sagrantino is an antioxidant-rich wine. ... .

Merlot. ... .

Cabernet Sauvignon. ... .

Barbera. ... .

Malbec. ... .

Nebbiolo. ... .

Tannat..

What is the healthiest red wine for you?

Many wine experts consider pinot noir to be the healthiest red wine because it contains the highest concentration of resveratrol. Pinot noir also contains fewer calories than other red wine varieties and may be less likely to cause heartburn thanks to its relatively low tannin content.

Is it OK to drink red wine everyday?

The American Heart Society warns that, although moderate consumption of red wine may have health benefits, excessive consumption can be detrimental to your health. Liver damage, obesity, certain types of cancer, stroke, cardiomyopathy, are just some of the issues that excessive drinking can contribute to.

What kind of red wine is good for cholesterol?

Pinot Noir: Rich in resveratrol, pinot noir has been associated with decreases in metabolic syndrome, improved cholesterol levels, and even enhanced mental health. When choosing healthy red wine brands, look for smaller, “craft” wineries that don't skimp on aging time – which reduces the concentration of resveratrol.