Alcohol in moderation has many benefits
Alcohol is a two edged sword. For many people, a fine wine is one of life's pleasures. Others use it as a crutch to relax or to ease social interaction.
A meta-study, or review of the research over many years, concludes that long-term moderate, non-binge regular consumption of alcohol provides significant health and longevity benefits to older people, compared to those who don't drink alcohol. (1)
The findings suggest that older adults who enjoy a daily glass (one if you're a woman, two if you're a man) of an alcoholic beverage (wine, beer, or cocktails) are significantly less likely to develop coronary heart disease, stroke, age-related cognitive decline or dementia as the years go by. I personally feel that one to two glasses per day is too much, and would prefer to follow the French tradition of having half a glass of wine with a meal.
The researchers suggest that moderate daily alcohol consumption promotes several anti-inflammatory processes. In particular, it protects against several harmful inflammation-inducing proteins in the brain. Other findings suggest that moderate drinking can boost cerebral blood flow by dilating vessels in the brain, protecting against cognitive decline including Alzheimer's disease. They suggest that these benefits accumulate over many years.
Many other studies show a limited amount of alcohol can be beneficial, more so for people over the age of 40. Up to one drink a day for women, and one or two a day for men reduces the risk of dying from heart disease by about a third, and also reduces the risk of a stroke or diabetes.(2) Moderate alcohol consumption raises the level of HDL, the good form of cholesterol. Most adults who do not suffer from depression or have a history of alcoholism will benefit from a daily drink before their main meal, particularly men who are at risk of heart disease.
Grape wine contains an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory called resveratrol. It protects against heart disease, cancer and many other diseases. It comes from the stems, leaves and skins of grapes, and is significantly higher in red wine as opposed to white, because the fruit sits in the wine for a longer period. High quality wines have higher levels than cheap plonk. One or two glasses of red wine per day seem to provide good antioxidant protection.
Note: Raw grape juice contains about a third as much resveratrol as a red wine. However, it is not recommended because it contains a high level of fructose, which causes obesity and fructose malabsorption.
Other antioxidants are also found in wine and beer. Fermenting yeasts produce some antioxidants, as do the malt and hops used in beer.
Cautions
Some people are more prone to alcoholism, so if the disease runs in your family, or you've had a spot or two of binge drinking in the past, it may be best to avoid alcohol completely. If you don't already drink, it is probably not a good enough reason to start the habit. Also, these benefits seem to apply mainly to older people, after many years of moderate consumption with no binge drinking.
Excessive alcohol can destroy the liver, damage the brain, cause cancers (including breast cancer), heart and artery disease, and severely damage foetuses. The risk of cancer is higher if you drink alcohol, especially if you have insufficient folate in your diet. It also can have devastating social consequences.
Alcohol dehydrates the body and the brain cells. It is one of the few substances that manages to bypass some of the brain's dehydration protection mechanisms.
Excess alcohol or hard liquor like brandy, vodka or whiskey raises your insulin level. Long-term drinking can contribute to metabolic syndrome.
Women trying to get pregnant, or who are in the early stages of pregnancy, should not drink any alcohol at all. It severely inhibits growth and development of the foetus, particularly the brain and the nervous system. It affects the foetus during the first few days of pregnancy, well before the mother knows she is pregnant.
References
1. Collins M.A., Neafsey E.J., Mukamal K.J., Gray M.O., Parks D.A., Das D.K., Korthuis R.J.
Alcohol in moderation, cardioprotection, and neuroprotection: epidemiological considerations and mechanistic studies.
Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2009 Feb;33(2):206-19.
Article
2. Willett, Walter C. Eat, Drink and be Healthy. Simon & Schuster 2001.