The results, from a study of 1,555 adults, adds to evidence from years of studies on wine and the heart that drinking wine can be beneficial to your health, according to lead researcher Holger J. Schunemann, M.D., Ph.D., of the University at Buffalo N.Y. ‘Many studies on wine and the heart have concluded that one to three glasses of wine per day may be beneficial, and this study suggests that an equivalent amount of wine may also help protect the lungs ....People who drank white wine had greater lung function than those who consumed red wine, but both groups of wine drinkers had greater lung function than non-wine drinkers’. He notes that white wine has a high level of antioxidant molecules called flavonoids, which may help account for the wine’s protective effect.

The researchers asked study subjects to answer questions during a detailed, computer-based interview about their total lifetime alcohol consumption by decade, as well as their alcohol use in the previous 30 days. Their lung function was measured. The scientists took into account the subjects’ smoking habits, weight, eating habits and lung function, in order to compensate for the fact that people who drink wine but not other types of alcohol are more likely to have a healthier diet, and are less likely to smoke, than people who exclusively drink beer or other types of alcohol.

The researchers believe that wines’ antioxidants, such as resvertrol mop up toxins in the blood and reduces inflammation in the airways, thus protecting the lungs. The researchers noted the difficulty in separating out red and white wine consumption in the US, as most people drink both types of wine, but evidence suggests that lung disease could be linked to a diet low in vitamins and antioxidants.

Please note: The above research was presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference and has not yet been published.