Alcohol: Is it really good for you?

I can't tell you how many times I hear people telling me that a glass of red wine is good for you. I don't know if it's true or not. I do enjoy a glass of wine every now and then, perhaps twice a month, but I don't drink it because it's good for me or because of the antioxidants or whatever. I enjoy my occasional glass of wine because I enjoy it as a rare treat. It tastes good. It helps me wind down after a physical demanding couple of weeks.

This BBC News article, written by Sue Nelson, offers two differing scientific opinions on the topic.

"It's an absolute myth that red wine is good for you," says Professor Valerie Beral from the University of Oxford and lead author of the Million Women study.

Professor Roger Corder, author of The Red Wine Diet, would disagree. "Our research identified a group of chemicals called procyanadins which are polyphenols, and the key component in terms of protecting from heart disease."

Oh well. I don' t know if my twice-monthly glass of wine is good for me or not, but I'll just keep enjoying it and I won't worry about it!