Non-Alcoholic Wine Offers The Same Benefits As Alcoholic Wine, Research Suggests

Researchers analysed data from 446,439 people over an average of seven years to look at alcohol and health.

Dr Schutte said the only health benefit identified was a decreased risk of coronary heart disease through the consumption of wine, but that this benefit was also found in alcohol-free wine.

He said that drinking alcohol, even at low levels, can be damaging to health.

Low-level consumption of beer, cider and spirits was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events, coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease such as stroke, cancer, and overall mortality, according to the research, published in the journal Clinical Nutrition.

Previous studies into alcohol and health have identified a J-shaped curve, indicating that low levels of alcohol consumption can be beneficial.

However, Dr Schutte believes these studies are incorrectly making comparisons with non-drinkers.

“A group of non-drinkers will contain individuals who abstain from alcohol due to various pre-existing health reasons, making this reference group surprisingly high-risk,” said Dr Schutte, course leader for the BSc Medical Science program at Anglia Ruskin University.