Most people know that drinking red wine in moderation adds to better health and longer life. Medical research has been done around the world for decades. It has shown the health benefits of drinking red wine. But there’s also a red wine health myth. So don’t be fooled.

Red Wine Health Benefits

Red wine’s health benefits became widespread in 1991. That’s when CBS News devoted a segment of its “60 Minutes” TV program to the “French Paradox.” That’s the fact that the French eat a diet rich in fats and cholesterol. Yet they have a heart disease rate 40% lower than the U.S. The suggestion was that the French wine drinking gave great protection against heart disease.

This was news to most viewers. But not to medical and alcohol researchers. For the previous two decades studies were reporting that moderate drinkers live longer on average.

Red Wine Health Myth

The red wine health myth is simple. People believe the health benefit applies only to red wine.

But the health and long life benefits of red wine also apply equally to drinking other forms of alcohol. That includes white wine, beer, and distilled spirits (liquor)

Research shows that the beneficial component of alcoholic beverages is primarily the alcohol itself. And that’s the same in standard drinks of wine, spirits, and beer.

Standard Drinks

Standard drinks all contain six tenths of one ounce of pure alcohol. A standard drink is any of these.

• • 12-ounce can or bottle of regular beer.
  • Five-ounce glass of dinner wine.
  • Shot (1.5 oz) of spirits either straight or in a mixed drink.

It’s a myth that only red wine contributes to better health and a longer life.

The Red Wine Health Myth