If you’re stuck in the pub deciding what to drink, you might want to swap your kombucha for a glass of red wine.
The occasional glass of red could be linked to better gut health, suggests a new study. There’s your reason to drink up.
Scientists at King’s College London analysed more than 900 twins to look at the effects of beer, cider, white wine, red wine, and spirits on the gut microbiome – the millions of bacteria that live in the intestinal tract and help you digest and process food.
They found that the gut microbiome was more diverse among red wine drinkers than in those who had other drinks.
Researchers reckon this could be due to a higher amount of defence chemicals called polyphenol in wine, which could act as an antioxidant.
Gut health is pretty important. Alongside the impact of your gut microbiome on bloating, physical discomfort, and metabolising food, research has linked poor gut health with anxiety, and experts believe you need to take care of your gut microbiome in order to banish brain fog, lethargy, and irritability.
Well-balanced gut microbiome is thought to:
- Protect us from infections
- Support all mental functions – gut bacteria have been linked to the production of chemicals in the brain, including serotonin which acts as the body’s natural antidepressant.
- Regulate blood sugar
- Impact body composition
- Improve heart health by reducing cholesterol
- Strengthen our immune system
And you only need to look into the stats around some of the UK’s biggest health problems to realise the impact these benefits could have on the nation:
- 86% of British adults suffered from a gastrointestinal problem from 2016-2017
- 1 in 16 people have diabetes
- 1 in 4 people experience mental-health related symptoms
- An estimated 7 million people in the UK live with cardiovascular disease
Obviously none of this means you should start chugging bottles of a nice cabernet. Drink responsibly and remember that while red wine is rich in polyphenol, there are plenty of other foods that contain this gut-boosting ingredient, including cocoa powder, beetroot, and tomatoes.
Polyphenol alone won’t sort out your gut health entirely, either. A varied diet with probiotics and prebiotics is key.
Dr Sadie Boniface, research coordinator at the Institute of Alcohol Studies, said: ‘No doctor would recommend drinking on medical grounds, as any potential benefits of red wine polyphenols should be considered alongside alcohol’s links to over 200 health conditions, including heart disease and cancers as identified in the Chief Medical Officer’s guidelines review.
‘Polyphenols are also available from a range of other foods besides red wine.’
Foods high in polyphenols include:
• Cocoa powder
• Dark, leafy vegetables
• Beetroot
• Green tea
• Berries
• Tomatoes
The scientists behind the paper say their findings aren’t about boozing to the extreme, but giving people a gut-friendly option for when they are having an alcoholic drink.
Dr Caroline Le Roy, first author of the findings, said: ‘Although we observed an association between red wine consumption and the gut microbiota diversity, drinking red wine rarely, such as once every two weeks, seems to be enough to observe an effect.
‘If you must choose one alcoholic drink today, red wine is the one to pick as it seems to potentially exert a beneficial effect on you and your gut microbes, which in turn may also help weight and risk of heart disease.
‘However, it is still advised to consume alcohol with moderation.’
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