He doctor and president of FIVIN (Foundation for Wine and Nutrition Research), Ramón Estruch, has stated that wine “consumed in moderation and within a Mediterranean diet, at lunch or dinner, is healthy” and helps protect “to certain diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases.
Of course, as he has clarified, “the consumption pattern is very important, “You have to include it within a healthy pattern.”
Dr. Estruch has presented some of the conclusions of the International Lifestyle, Diet, Wine and Health Congress, which took place in Toledo, on October 19 and 20, 2023 and which became a scientific space for reflection, debate and collaboration of international level for address issues as relevant as health.
The conclusions were presented this Wednesday at the headquarters of the Regulatory Council with the presence of the president of the DOCa Rioja, Fernando Ezquerro.
“Despite all the threats that there have been with alcohol and, specifically, on wine consumption”, the expert and researcher assures that “within the Mediterranean diet, moderate consumption of wine in particular” can have beneficial aspects for health.
The researcher, who has been studying the healthy effects of wine for more than 30 yearsclaims to feel “surprised” at “all the threats that exist against wine.”
If a parallel is made with oil – he indicates – “olive oil is a fat and, 20 years ago when it was all ‘anti-fat’, It was also negative but now it has been turned around. With wine, since it contains alcohol, those less beneficial aspects are still in force.”
In this sense, he wanted to reflect the results of “a study that was published in the journal The Lancet of the Global Burden of Disease Study in 2019, in which researchers from around the world analyzed the relationships between alcohol consumption and health and came to the conclusion that the ideal would be ‘zero consumption’. There was such a stir that, with the same data reanalyzed two years later, it was concluded that the ‘J curve’ exists and, therefore, that moderate alcohol consumption actually reduces mortality, therefore, helping a greater longevity and greater health.
Healthy lifestyle and Mediterranean diet
The key to wine -the doctor says- “is to include it within a healthy lifestyle and within the Mediterranean diet. There is strong evidence that moderate wine consumption has effects on cardiovascular diseases. Consuming wine, in a meal, in a context, in a healthy lifestyle and with a good dietary pattern helps physically and also psychosocial well-being.”
All this is possible because “Wine has polyphenols, chemical compounds found in grapes, that helps protect us from these diseases. Of course, as he wants to make clear, “the context is very important: Mediterranean diet and within a healthy lifestyle.”
For this reason, the scientist wanted to emphasize some “fundamental” notes to understand this relationship. “Wine has to be consumed in moderation and within a healthy eating pattern. And this is especially in the case of cancer. At a cardiovascular level, the effect of alcohol in general, and wine much more so, has a protective effect, and “There are few doubts here. Regarding cancer, doubts have arisen. We have been able to see that wine consumed within the Mediterranean diet, in a moderate way in women, reduces the incidence of breast cancer.”
Thus, he continues, at the Congress the different ways in which alcohol can impact the risk of this disease were presented: direct, indirect and systemic. “Although there is a linear relationship between alcohol and cancerthe effect of low doses is not as clear and is more controversial.”
“There is data showing that low wine consumption does not increase the risk of some types of cancer, especially in a mediterranean lifestylea context in which it has been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer.”
How many glasses of wine can you drink?
But then: How many glasses of wine can you drink? The researcher explains that “It changes a lot if you drink one glass of wine a day, within the Mediterranean diet, to if you drink seven on the weekend.” The ideal is to include it in the Mediterranean diet: Extra virgin olive oil, whole grains, and the other pillar of this diet is wine in moderation and with food.
Regarding whether red or white is better, the researcher indicates “the one with the most polyphenols is better, that is, red wine, but you can take whatever you like. The main idea is that the moderation curve is in force despite all the threats that there have been. And if it is better at dinner or lunch, the expert explains that there are no studies that indicate one is better than the other.
The ideal for the expert is “acquire good habits from a young age because you will be more likely to maintain them, we must defend the Mediterranean diet.
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