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Study: Champagne in moderation can improve heart health

Category: Heart Health and Cholesterol

Partygoers on New Year's Eve may have good reason to make a midnight toast after a new study revealed that drinking two glasses of champagne a day could improve heart health and circulation by improving the function of blood vessels.

In a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, researchers from the University of Reading in the UK concluded that drinking champagne can lower an individual's blood pressure and the risk of blood clots by increasing the amount of nitric oxide that is available in the body, Science Daily reports.

The molecule is contained in polyphenols found in the red and white grapes used to make champagne, the researchers indicate.

Jeremy Spencer, a professor of molecular nutrition at the University of Reading department of food and nutritional sciences, commented, "We always encourage a responsible approach to alcohol consumption, but the fact that drinking champagne has the potential to reduce risks of suffering from cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease and stroke is very exciting news."

However, consumption of alcohol is known to increase the risk of developing cancers of the esophagus, liver, colon and breast, according to the National Cancer Institute.