Wine doesn't need to be alcoholic to get the health benefits? What wonderful news... – Scotsman comment

When discussing humanity’s greatest achievements, those of the science community surely deserve top billing.

New scientific research suggests grapes don't need to be turned into wine for their beneficial health effects to be felt (Picture: Eric Feferberg/AFP via Getty Images)

Their rigorous pursuit of truth has, after all, taken us to the Moon and back, cured some of the most terrible diseases, and invented the modern world in all its glory.

This is why The Scotsman has occasionally been moved to sing their praises and here we are, once again, to raise a glass to yet another great discovery.

For researchers have found further proof of an “undeniable protective beneficial relationship between coronary heart disease and consumption of both red and white wine”. And there’s more, for the effect is also seen in non-alcoholic wine, aka grape juice.

Marvellous. We’re really glad we now know the truth – unless of course another study comes along with different results that challenge this new theory.

That can happen, particularly with small studies. However this one looked at data from 446,439 people over an average of seven years, which seems like quite a lot.

Oh and, according to one of the scientists involved, drinking alcohol, even at low levels, can be damaging to health.

There had been a theory that low amounts of alcohol were beneficial, but the researcher argues this may have been because moderate consumers were being compared with people who were teetotal because they had other health problems, making the wine-drinkers look good.

So, as we were saying, it’s time to raise a glass, once again, as we have done on a truly remarkable number of occasions, to toast the scientists for their wonderful contribution to society.

Grape juices all round? Super. Smashing. Great.

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