Is red wine healthier than white wine?

Harvard experts say red wine has more polyphenols than white, but the concentrations are too low to provide a clear health advantage; moderate alcohol intake is also linked with an increased risk of certain cancers.

Red wine is often considered the healthiest alcoholic choice, and recent coverage examined whether research supports that view. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health professor Eric Rimm and other experts discussed findings in a Washington Post article. The discussion focused on polyphenols, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and are more abundant in red wine than in white. Experts reported that the amounts of polyphenols in red wine are low and unlikely to yield substantial benefit at moderate drinking levels. Key points: - Red wine contains more polyphenols than white wine, but the concentrations in typical servings are low. - Rimm said that to obtain substantially more polyphenol benefit from red wine would require drinking more than moderate amounts. - Other dietary sources of polyphenols mentioned include dark berries (for example, blueberries), black or green tea, and dark chocolate. - People sensitive to tannins or sulfites in red wine may experience headaches or allergy-like symptoms. - Even moderate drinking (defined in the article as one daily drink for a woman and two for a man) has been linked to an increased risk of certain cancers and other negative health outcomes. Summary: The reporting indicates that while red wine has higher polyphenol levels than white wine, those differences are not large enough to establish a clear health advantage at moderate drinking levels. Alternative non-alcohol sources of polyphenols are available. Alcohol consumption at moderate levels has been associated with higher cancer risk. Undetermined at this time.