Researchers analysed the findings of over 40 studies looking at the risks and rewards of red and white wine. Particularly when it comes to causing or preventing cancer for a new study published in the Nutrients journal.
While red wine’s resveratrol content is often touted for its anti-cancer properties, the experts warned this may not outweigh the risk that the alcoholic drink poses. Particularly if you have too much of it every day.
Looking at a number of studies, researchers found: “Every additional 10 (grams) of estimated ethanol (e.g., about one glass) from red wine per day was associated with a 5% increase in overall cancer risk.” This was particularly pronounced when they looked at case-control data.
However, when they turned their attention to cohort studies, this link vanished. No significant relationship between increased doses of white wine and cancer risk was seen in any of the studies.
Ultimately, researchers concluded that in the debate about which wine is healthier, both red and white wines were found to hold a similar cancer risk. The only difference they did spot was that white wine was linked to a higher risk of skin cancer.
The researchers concluded: “Our findings provided a critical public health message that drinking red wine may not be any better than drinking white wine in terms of cancer risk…However, we added an important finding to the controversial conversation about whether red wine intake reduces cancer risk.”
Red wine has a high polyphenol and resveratrol content, both of which have been proven to be anti-cancer compounds. However, the alcohol, or ethanol, content is also known to increase the risk of cancer, and it seems this element outweighs the other benefits of red wine.
Resveratrol’s anti-cancer properties have even been studied as a potential chemopreventive agent. It works by inhibiting the rapid growth of cancer cells in the breast, colon, rectum, skin, stomach and kidney.
However, the researchers pointed out that resveratrol is broken down so quickly that an average 70kg individual would have to have two glasses of red wine every day just to have detectable concentrations in their body. But just because it’s detectable doesn’t mean it’s enough.
The study noted: “These low levels of resveratrol after consuming red wine may not result in bio-effective concentrations that may eventually make differences in health outcomes compared to white wine consumption.”