Why a bottle of wine a week could be good for you

Experts have revealed that a bottle of wine a week could be as good as statins for heart health, according to new research.

Academics at the European Heart Journal have found that in a recent study, people who drank between 12 and 35 glasses of wine a month had a 50% lower risk of heart disease than those who drank less than one glass a month.

Using data from a study measuring the impacts of a mediterranean diet, experts studied 1,232 people through questionnares on their food and drink consumption and measured levels of the chemical tartaric acid in their urine.

When following up on the study after four or five years, there were 685 cases of heart disease, including cases of heart attacks, stroke or death.

Study lead, Professor Ramon Estruch, from the University of Barcelona, said: “By measuring tartaric acid in the urine, alongside food and drink questionnaires, we have been able to make a more accurate measurement of wine consumption.

“We have found a much greater protective effect of wine than that observed in other studies. A reduction in risk of 50% is much higher than can be achieved with some drugs, such as statins.

“This study examines the importance of moderate wine consumption within a healthy dietary pattern, such as the Mediterranean diet.

“Until now, we believed that 20% of the effects of the Mediterranean diet could be attributed to moderate wine consumption, however, in light of these results, the effect may be even greater."

Professor Estruch did however clarify that the participants in the study were older people with a high risk of cardiovascular disease in a Mediterranean country, so results may not be applicable to other populations.

He added: “Another key question is at what age moderate wine