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Is Red Wine Good For Your Heart? Top medical authorities are cautioning against the popular but unproven belief that drinking red wine can help ward off heart attacks. American Heart Association urges physicians to rely on proven heart-protective ways to lower risk for heart attacks instead of emphasizing on sipping a daily glass or two of wine. Ira J. Goldberg, M.D., a member of the American Heart Association's Nutrition Committee and professor of medicine at Columbia University in New York City, states, "Our advice: If you want to reduce your risk of heart disease, talk to your doctor about lowering your cholesterol and blood pressure, controlling your weight, getting enough exercise and following a healthy diet. There is no scientific proof that drinking wine or any other alcoholic beverage can replace these effective conventional measures." Goldberg says that further investigation is needed in the concept of drinking wine- particularly red wine, which is practiced in Europe, especially in France. Goldberg states that other dietary factors may be involved in the reduction of heart disease in Europe besides drinking red wine daily, such as eating fresh fruits, vegetables and fish, and reduced intake of milk products. One theory attributes the antioxidants properties in red wine in lowering the risk of heart disease. However, Goldberg states that there is still no proof that consuming antioxidants actually lowers the risk of heart and artery disease. Furthermore, he adds, " the same antioxidants found in red wine can also be obtained from unfermented grape juice, and without the hazards related to alcohol. Fresh fruits and vegetables should also have a similar antioxidant action as red wine." The American Heart Association urges individuals to talk to their physicians about the benefits and risks of drinking alcoholic beverages. Source/Resource: American Heart Association journal report: Heart protective benefits of red wine remain uncertain; Physicians urged to rely on proven ways to lower risk, January 22, 2000. February 2001 | ||||||||
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