How true is the belief that moderate drinking can be beneficial for health?

The notion that enjoying a casual beer or sipping on your favourite wine could not only be harmless but actually beneficial to one’s health is a tantalising proposition for many. This belief, often backed by claims of research findings, has seeped into social conversations and media headlines, painting moderate alcohol consumption in a positive light.

As researchers at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, we find ourselves frequently revisiting this topic, delving deep into the evidence to separate fact from wishful thinking. Can we confidently say, “Cheers to health?”

Beliefs about moderate drinking

The commonplace belief that moderate drinking can be beneficial to health can be traced back to the 1980s when researchers found an association suggesting that French people were less likely to suffer from heart disease, despite eating a diet high in saturated fat.

This contradiction was thought to be explained by the assumption that the antioxidants and alcohol found in wine might offer health benefits, leading to the term “French paradox.”

This concept reached a broader audience in the 1990s, following a segment on the American news show 60 Minutes which had a profound impact on wine sales. Later research expanded on this idea, suggesting that frequently drinking small amounts of any type of alcoholic beverage might be good for health.

This idea was formalised into what is now known as...

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