Red wine not good for you after all, doctors to reveal

New alcohol regulations will be released this Friday for the first time in 20 years

Eleanor Ross
Thursday 07 January 2016 12:19 GMT
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The new guidelines will recommend the same limits for men as women
The new guidelines will recommend the same limits for men as women (Getty Images)

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Red wine's supposed health benefits are set to be rubbished by Government experts, according to reports.

A landmark report by Chief Medical Officer Dame Sally Davies published on Friday will destroy the long-held belief that red wine can cut the risk of cancer, heart disease and memory loss when drunk in moderation, according to the Sun.

Instead, the first alcohol guideline shake-up since 1995 will reportedly say that even a glass of red wine a day could increase the risk of breast cancer by 13 per cent.

Previous studies have lauded the number of antioxidants in red wine, saying the drink cuts the risk of a heart attack and prevents memory loss.

The new guidelines will say the negatives of drinking outweigh any positives - and similar results that come from drinking a glass of red wine a day can be achieved simply by eating less and exercising more.

The guidelines could recommend avoiding alcohol for a few days a week and drinking water and eating while drinking.

The Department of Health has confirmed that new guidelines are under embargo until Friday, when the report will be published. Rates of alcohol consumption have dropped by almost a third in recent years, with a greater number of teetotalers than ever before, with one in five adults claming not to drink according to an ONS study.

The new guidelines may also suggest that there shouldn't be a difference between amounts consumed by men and women. Currently, men are permitted 3-4 units a day, or one and a half beers, and women just 2-3 units, or a single glass of wine.

Additional reporting PA

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