Red wine has had its share of positive messaging. The identification of the French paradox in the 1980s solidified the status of red wine, and it then made its way into the popular zeitgeist.

The French paradox was identified and named after some interesting observations that came out that were backed by science. Most notably, it appeared that French people were consuming just as much saturated fat as people in other European countries, but their incidence of adverse cardiac events was way less.

More research ensued. Longitudinal, cross-sectional, and randomized studies mostly showed that consuming light or moderate amounts of red wine on a regular basis resulted in higher HDLs, lower fibrinogen, healthier vascular epithelium, and better insulin resistance—all factors in keeping arteries healthy and cardiovascular disease at bay.

Part of the miraculous effects of red wine on cardiovascular health was attributed to the polyphenols in red wine and, in particular, resveratrol. Research found that resveratrol alone could have a somewhat protective effect on cardiovascular health.

Then, along came the Blue Zones in the early 2000s. Blue Zones are communities in the world where there are plenty of people living to be 100 or more. Turns out many of them drink red wine every day, with breakfast, lunch, and dinner. All that wine drinking did not seem to be affecting them adversely. Quite the opposite.

So far, so good. Fans of red wine were rejoicing, and others considered switching from cocktails to red wine, or at least adding it to the mix. Could it be that you could consume a double cheeseburger with impunity if........

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