We’re constantly being told what’s bad for us by health experts, so when a story comes along that says something may do you good (especially when it’s anything associated with health risks rather than health benefits), I’m always keen to make sure as many people hear about it as possible.
Alcohol, for instance, can have a drastic negative effect on health – if you drink more than is thought to be enough, that is. But to be fair moderate drinking is associated with lots of health benefits too. And the latest study on alcohol, which draws data from the Tromsø Study in northern Norway, suggests people who drink wine have better cognitive functioning (that is, their brains and memories work better) than people who abstain. Of course when they talk about drinking wine, they don’t mean bucketloads – we’re dealing with moderate consumption here, so it’s not an excuse to go out and get bladdered,
It’s not the first time moderate alcohol drinking has been linked with improved cognitive function. Apparently there have been no less than 68 studies on the subject during the last 30 years, most of which show a positive association between light to moderate alcohol consumption and better cognitive function (including reduced risk of dementia, both vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s).
So what’s behind it, you may be wondering? Well, it’s well known that wine contains antioxidants, and antioxidants may help reduce age-related cognitive decline. But, as many a teetotaler has pointed out, grape juice has those same antioxidants – so there’s got to be more to it. It could be the alcohol itself that’s protecting against cognitive decline because of the effect it has on blood clotting and blood flow.
Need I go on? Do you really need any more reasons to crack open a bottle of red? Just don’t drink it all (unless you’re drinking it with friends, that is).