Is white wine healthier than we think?

Red wine has received a lot of attention for its supposed health benefits – how does the odd glass of white stack up? It’s the line we’ll pull out when we want to indulge in another glass of red: “Oh go on, it’s good for your heart.” But while studies touting that the odd glass of red is good for the heart might be music to your ears, white wine doesn’t get the same treatment. Because the science surrounding the benefits of white wine is murkier.

It’s why most of us look to red wine as a healthier choice over white. But researchers from the Brown University School of Public Health and the Warren Alpert Medical School put this assumption to the test. They compared the cancer risks associated with red and white wine by analysing 42 observational studies involving nearly 96,000 participants and found no clear evidence that red wine mitigates cancer risk.



Their findings come after years of research that argued the opposite. This includes research by the University of Leicester, which found that small doses of resveratrol, a compound found in red wine, may help to prevent bowel cancer. And a study by the University of Catania discovered that drinking red wine in small quantities as part of the Mediterranean diet may protect against colorectal cancer.

Yet, researchers on this particular study found no overall increase to cancer risk from consuming wine, regardless of colour. However, multiple studies have found that all alcohol, regardless of the type, is linked to an increased risk of many cancers..