Red wine drinkers have better stomach health and are less likely to suffer from obesity and bad cholesterol than those who choose a different tipple.
Researchers from King’s College, London, explored the effect of beer, cider, red wine, white wine and spirits on the gut microbiome and the subsequent health in a group of 458 sets of female twins from across the UK.
They found that the collection of microorganisms of red wine drinkers was more diverse than in people who drank white wine, beer or spirits.
Dr Caroline Le Roy said: “Moderate red wine consumption is associated with greater diversity and a healthier gut microbiota.
“Drinking red wine rarely, such as once every two weeks, seems to be enough to observe an effect.
“If you must choose one alcoholic drink today, red wine is the one to pick.
“It seems to potentially exert a beneficial effect on you and your gut microbes, which in turn may also help weight and risk of heart disease.
“However, it is still advised to consume alcohol in moderation.”
An imbalance of good microbes and bad in the gut can lead to a downturn in health, causing a reduction of the immune system, weight gain or high cholesterol.
Researchers have put their finding down to the many polyphenols in red wine.
Polyphenols are defence chemicals naturally present in many fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes such as beans.
They have many beneficial properties – including antioxidants – and act as a fuel for the microbes present in
our system.
