Should we drink Red Wine on the Mediterranean Diet?

 

The Mediterranean diet is considered good for us as it has cardiovascular benefits and may reduce the risk of certain chronic illnesses.

The diet consists of whole grains, lean meat and fish, fruits, olive oil, and more — people on the diet can have one to two glasses of red wine. But could the diet’s inclusion of red wine be undermining its benefits?

Alcohol is considered a known human carcinogen and has been linked to many cancers including breast, liver, esophageal, colorectal, and head and neck cancers. 

Beyond just cancer, heavy drinking can also contribute to stroke, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular issues.

Thus with mounting evidence suggesting alcohol could be risky for the health, red wine’s place in the diet has become more controversial.

“There are definitely some people who think [red wine] should be removed, as no amount of alcohol is really considered to be safe,” Leah Barron, a dietitian at The Baseline Lifestyle Company in New York, said.

“But because the current research does suggest some benefit to red wine in moderation, it is a little complicated and something we need a lot more research on.”

“But in most cases, it’s one glass—five ounces—a day for women, and two glasses—10 ounces—for men, consumed with food and in a social setting,” Barron said. “The Mediterranean diet does not specifically recommend other types of alcohol, and recommends limiting alcohol in general.”

The reason why red wine is included in the diet while other types of alcohol are not is due to the drink’s popularity in the region where the diet originated.

“Red wine contains certain components that make it thought of as a healthier alcohol option,” Abigail Collen, a dietitian at the Mount Sinai Health System, said.

In particular, a compound in red wine called resveratrol may reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer, Barron said.

Despite the compounds in red wine having positive effects on the body, the benefits in question are not so clear-cut.

“Research has shown that people who drink alcohol, specifically red wine, have a decreased risk of heart disease, including decreased cholesterol levels,” said Barron. “However, it is really important to clarify that this is correlation, not necessarily causation—meaning, people who drink red wine in moderation may also be more active and eat a healthier diet in general, which would also contribute to their decreased risk of heart disease.”

In fact, experts largely agree that drinking red wine frequently could detract from our health.

While on the Mediterranean diet, whether you should drink in moderation largely depends on your individual circumstances, experts agreed. 

“With nutrition, there are very few things that are really black and white," Collen said, which makes it hard to give blanket recommendations around alcohol or any other components of a diet. However, if you do not drink, experts do not advise starting.