In fact, much of the information cited in the initial wave of media reports dates back more than 20 years to seminal research projects like the Framingham heart study, a federally funded longitudinal study that challenged whether alcoholics died earlier than non-drinkers as a direct result of their drinking. However, strong public sentiment about the dangers of alcohol left much of this information to wither on the vine. Alcohol has always been considered sinful. A lot of the research that dealt with the possible health benefits of alcohol were ignored or discarded because, as doctors, we're supposed to be against this. Scientists interviewed for the report surmised that regular consumption of red wine helped to reduce stickiness of blood platelets.
Sticky platelets contribute to narrowing arteries, which can lead to heart disease.
The positive results have been pouring in ever since. Phenols like resveratrol and flavonoids are present in regular grape juice, but they exist in higher concentration in wine due to the inclusion of seeds, skins and stems in the wine-making process. In 1997, a UC San Francisco study found regular, moderate alcohol consumption might help protect the heart after a heart attack. Researchers reported that guinea pigs that were given alcohol daily showed less heart damage and better recovery after induced heart attacks than those that were not given alcohol. There s a big difference between worriers and hypochondriacs.