Another Study Says Drink More Wine!

There are been numerous research studies trying to prove (or disprove) the healthful effects of drinking wine. It is easy to see how a glass of wine after a long day can help reduce stress, but can it really help your overall health? A new study seems to take a conservative approach, a reasonable number of volunteers (sign me up!) and a long study period, all in an attempt to show the way for the wine-drinking public. Here's what they found.



Dr. Miloš Táborský, from the Palacký University in the Czech Republic, was the principle investigator for this study, cleverly named In Vino Veritas (that's "in wine, truth" for those of us who slept through Latin class). The research focused on the health impact of moderate wine consumption.

The researchers found 146 volunteers "willing" to drink one (for women) or two (for men) glasses of wine a day, five days a week. They were also asked to keep diet and exercise journal. Half of the group drank red wine and half of the group drank white.

After a year of this bliss, the volunteers were examined and compared to a control group. Bad news: drinking didn't have any statistical impact on cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar or C-reactive protein (a key marker for cardiovascular health). On the plus side, it didn't seem to damage anything, either.

Things looked bleak for the researchers. Then they thought to take a look at the volunteers' diet and exercise journals. That is when they found a real, statistically significant impact. Volunteers who drank wine (red or white) AND exercised moderately at least twice a week had better cholesterol than those who did not.

So, another wine study with marginal results. Wine might improve our health, but only if we help it along a bit by working out twice a week. Maybe sign up at a gym near a wine bar? But, say, if you're looking for some ideas for small wineries to check out, take a look at our sister site: WineTastingBliss! Lots of information on wine, wineries and up and coming winemakers. Cheers!



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