Unfortunately, it is not. Furthermore, drinking alcohol is associated with liver damage, inflammation of the pancreas, and cancers of the liver esophagus and stomach. Given this sobering information, no wonder people become confused when they hear or read about studies suggesting that drinking one or two alcoholic beverages a day can have cardiac benefits. This casts doubt on the idea that it is the alcohol that protects the heart and suggests that other components in these beverages called flavonoids may have cardiac benefits.
Flavonoids are natural compounds found in fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.
Diets high in flavonoids have been associated with a reduced risk of heart attacks. Grape products such as red wine and purple grape juice contain many flavonoids, including quercetin and tannins. This supplement contains extracts from grape skins, grape seeds, Ginkgo biloba and bilberries. The benefit of alcoholic beverages most likely is due to the flavonoids contained within them, not the alcohol itself. A safer way of protecting your heart by this mechanism is by eating fruits and vegetables, such as purple grapes, apples, broccoli, kale, onions and garlic.