What alcoholic drink is healthier: vodka, beer or wine?
What alcoholic drink is healthier: vodka, beer or wine?
user
Interesting question!  Here are some thoughts.
assistant
Just to interrupt because I can tell you're going to ramble for a bit, I've read that wine might be good for your heart health. Is there any science behind that?
user
Yes, as it turns out there's some science behind that claim!  The Mediterranean diet, including lots of wine, is correlated with lower rates of heart disease and better overall health.  And there are a couple of hypotheses for why:  first, the benefits of wine come in part from polyphenol antioxidants that are in the skins and seeds of grapes.  These polyphenol antioxidants can reduce the levels of LDL, a form of cholesterol that is particularly harmful, in our blood.  The other thing that has recently come to light is the amount of procyanidins (a type of polyphenol antioxidant) that are in wine.  While more research is needed to confirm this, preliminary findings suggest that this may increase the body's ability to absorb and utilize vitamin c, which in turn has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease.  I think it's too soon to say which of these claims about wine and heart health is correct, and if both are correct it’s not yet clear how they would interact.  But it sounds like you’re at least interested in the idea that wine is healthy!
assistant
You haven't mentioned vodka yet. What are your thoughts there?
user