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5. Wine & Health Graphs

Following are some graphs that summarize these findings. The first shows the relative mortality rates from heart disease.

As seen the regular consumption of any type of alcohol is better for the heart than not drinking. Beer & Wine consumption seems to have an equally beneficial effect upon the heart. Only Spirit drinkers who consume more than three drinks per day have worse heart problems than non-drinkers.

The second graph shows the relative risk of cancer mortality. Even the moderate consumption of beer, 1 to 3 beers a day, raises the cancer risk to nearly 40% over the rate of non-drinkers. While whiskey drinkers are always at greater risk of cancer than non-drinkers, the heavy drinkers almost double their risk of dying of cancer. In contrast, those who consume wine reduce their cancer rate by almost 20%.

The third graph shows the relative risk of total mortality. Light drinking, i.e. under a drink per day, in any form tends to lower the rate of death from all causes as compared with non-drinkers. Moderate beer and whiskey drinkers fare the same as non-drinkers, while moderate wine drinkers have a rate of mortality that is 20% less. Heavy drinkers, over 3 drinks a day, have 30% to 40% greater risk of dying than non-drinkers, while even heavy wine drinkers have a slightly better mortality rate as non-drinkers.