There is some bad news for wine lovers! A meta-analysis of studies on the link between wine consumption and cancer has shown that there is no difference between white and red wine when it comes to how much they increase a person’s chances of contracting cancer.
Red wine or white wine? Check out which one is healthier when it comes to cancer risk.(Unsplash)
The meta-analysis took into account 42 studies involving 96,000 participants. The antioxidants found in red wine led to the belief that it is a healthier alternative to white wine. However, the meta-study found that alcohol, regardless of which type it is, increases cancer risk, Health.com reported.
“Something like 100,000 cancer cases can be linked to alcohol consumption. Any time we can remind the public about ways (that modifying) their lifestyle choices can limit cancer risk is important,” said Dr. Dale Shepard, medical oncologist at the Cleveland Clinic.
An advisory from the Office of the Surgeon General has tried to raise awareness among Americans about the increased risk of cancer caused by alcohol consumption. The view that red wine is a lesser evil has been proven incorrect by this latest meta-study.
Is red wine healthy?
For quite some time, red wine has been seen as one variety of alcohol that has health benefits. As per an article in Healthline, the most common belief about the benefits of red wine is that it lowers the risk of heart disease.
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This has been seen as the reason why people in France, where red wine consumption is common, have a lower incidence of heart ailments despite consumption of a diet rich in saturated fat and cholesterol. However, deeper analysis has shown that reasonable consumption of these elements does not lead to a higher probability of heart disease. So, red wine might not be all that good.
Where red wine is useful is the presence of antioxidants in it, especially resveratrol and proanthocyanidins. These have some health benefits when consumed in moderation, such as lower risk of heart disease, lower probability of dementia and depression as well as better insulin resistance.
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However, anything more than a modest quantity can lead to negative effects. So, drinking 1-2 glasses a day may not be a bad option. But anything more can lead to the same problems that alcohol is usually associated with.
Dining and Cooking