In no small way, wine has been a part of human culture for generations.  From helping us wind down after a long day, as a backdrop of conversation with close friends and family or balancing out a healthy meal, this intoxicating drink is accepted worldwide.  Wine has played a major role in the culture and diet of the traditional Mediterranean people, and some scientist think it is the single ingredient that is responsible for their good health.  

People have wondered about wine’s effect on heart health for decades.  Research has proven that a little wine with food can do a heart good.  There are several things associated with wine consumption that has positive effects on heart health.  The best known benefit is that it has the ability to increase the “good” HDL cholesterol level.  One to two drinks per day can increase HDL cholesterol by as much as 12 percent.   Wine also has anit-inflammatory properties which can protect the endothelial layer (the inner layer) of your arteries keeping them healthy and strong.  It can also reduce LDL oxidation which in turn can lower your LDL level.  It has also been shown that not just wine, but red wine in particular can reduce the development of smooth muscle cells which, if allowed to proliferate, contribute to atherosclerosis.  Good news from all this scientific evidence it that is estimated that both men and women could reduce the risk of death from a heart attack by 30-50 percent with light to moderated alcohol consumption.  However, the amount of wine you drink matters tremendously.  It’s recommended that woman consume no more than one drink per day and men are allowed two.  According to the American Heart Association, a standard serving size is equal to, one 12-ounce beer, 4 ounces of wine, 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits or 1 ounce of 100-proof spirits.

Drinking more than what’s recommended and your health benefits are lost and your health risk go up. Overconsumption is associates with a sharp increase in the risk of not only heart disease but also high blood pressure, stroke, certain cancers, and liver cirrhosis as well as alcohol abuse and alcoholism.  And it’s impossible to predict which people will develop problems with alcoholism.  

So if you don’t drink wine should you start?  By all mean, NO.  You should only include a red wine “prescription” in your diet plan if you and your medical doctor mutually agree that you can drink safely.  The American Heart Association does not currently recommend that someone begins drinking if he or she currently does not.  I never encouraged a client to begin consuming alcohol, it just wouldn’t make sense. But if they are currently consuming wine/beer or spirits I will definitely discuss guidelines along the healthy benefits and risks associated to the amount they are consuming.  There are some people who should abstain altogether.  Alcohol can interact with certain prescription medications and no amount of alcohol has been proven safe for women who are pregnant.  And for a woman who is at risk of breast cancer, any amount of alcohol increases risk.  Nor is it encouraged for someone who has been diagnosed with cardiomyopathy or cardiac arrhythmias.  

The take home message:  Moderation is key,  meaning a little is good and a lot is NOT better.  

If you have a nutrition question you’d like answered in this column send it to   oconeenutrition@yahoo.com with “Question for the Breeze” as the subject title.

Lisa Eisele, RD, CSO, LD is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian. She also holds a Board Certification as a Specialist in Oncology Nutrition. Lisa and her partner Stacy Paine, RD, LD own Oconee Nutrition Consultants, LLC located at Cowles Clinic.  (706) 473-5801