Red wine and health
These studies have clearly showed that the positive effect of alcohol on the health seems to be due to it increasing the level of good cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol) in the blood, which protects against developing cardiovascular conditions like myocardial infarction or stroke. Even better, HDL-cholesterol prevents overproduction of blood platelets, which can cause blood clots.
Moderate amounts of alcohol thus do seem to be beneficial to the health, and this benefit appears even more marked in those who drink red wine compared to other alcoholic drinks.
This conclusion in favour of red wine is based on a study that analysed mortality rates in 18 countries around the world. The results were clear: mortality associated with cardiovascular conditions was significantly lower in the countries where red wine was popular, such as France and Italy.