Drinking red wine in moderation could be linked to better gut health, according to a new study that found lower levels of obesity and ‘bad’ cholesterol in those who drink an occasional glass.
Scientists at King’s College London were looking at the effects of beer, cider, red wine, white wine and spirits on the micro-organisms that live in the digestive tracts of humans.
After an experiment on more than 3,000 people in three different countries, they found drinking red wine increased the presence of diverse microbiota – a sign of good gut health.
And this was even prevalent in those who drank it as infrequently as once every two weeks.
“Any potential benefits should be considered alongside alcohol’s links to over 200 health conditions.."”
Researchers speculated that this could be due to a higher amount of defence chemicals called polyphenol that act as an antioxidant.
However, they did warn that the positives should still be weighed up against the negative impacts of alcohol. Dr Sadie Boniface, research co-ordinator at the Institute of Alcohol Studies, said: “No doctor would recommend drinking on medical grounds.
“As any potential benefits of red wine polyphenols should be considered alongside alcohol’s links to over 200 health conditions, including heart disease and cancers.”
But if you’re going to go for one type of alcohol, they say, make it red wine. So here’s a list of the 10 best red wines, as judged by Olive Magazine’s Supermarket Wine Awards in August 2019.
Best Full-Bodied Red Wine Under £8
Gold – Waitrose Carménère Reserva 2017, £7.49
Best Full-Bodied Red Wine £8 (And Over)
Gold – Waitrose The Hedonist Shiraz 2017, £14.49
Best Medium-Bodied Red Wine Under £8
Gold – Ocado Proudly Vegan Merlot, £7.29
Best Medium-Bodied Red Wine £8 (And Over)
Joint Gold – Tesco Finest Viña del Cura Rioja Reserva 2014, £8.50
Joint Gold – Ocado Veramonte Merlot, £11.15
Best Light-Bodied Red Wine Under £8
Gold – Lidl Barbera d’Asti, £4.99
Best Light-Bodied Red Wine £8 (And Over)
Gold – Ocado McManis Estate Pinot Noir, £15.15
Wild-Card Red
Joint Gold – Tesco Finest South African Fairtrade Cinsault 2018, £7.50
Joint Gold – M&S Pisano Cisplatino Tannat, £10
Joint Gold - Ocado Purato Siccari Appassimento, £9.99
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