Its not the Wine but the healthy lifestyle that is important

According to the findings of scientists at Duke University, North Carolina, and the Institute of Preventive Medicine in Copenhagen, the wine drinkers live longer and healthier lives because they consume more fruits and vegetables and have higher fiber intakes and a lower prevalence of smoking.

By contrast the teetotalers were found to have the worst lifestyles, smoking more cigarettes and munching their way through fatty, unhealthy foods. They are also less likely to exercise regularly and are generally fatter and unfit.

The investigators found that the beer and the spirit drinkers fall between these two extremes.

These researchers decided to analyze a long term health study of  4,500 graduates of North Carolina University. The researchers divided the subjects to five categories – wine-drinkers, beer-drinkers, spirit sippers, teetotalers and those who drink anything put in front of them.   The researchers then analyzed their diet habits, exercise regimen and other habits. The result published in the coming issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, revealed that wine-drinkers simply have the best lifestyles, regardless of income or socio-economic status. Beer, spirit and general drinkers were less healthy and the non-drinkers were the worst.

Subjects who preferred wine had healthier diets than those who preferred beer or spirits or had no preferences. Wine drinkers reported eating more servings of vegetables and fruits and fewer servings of red fried meats. The diets of wine drinkers contained less cholesterol , saturated fats and more fibre.

The team concludes that wine’s apparent health benefits may instead be due to the effects of dietary habits. There is nothing that directly confers any health benefit in a glass or two of wine – except that comfort given to  the drinker that he or she has such a sensible way of life.