Medical memo: Grape juice for health?
Medical memo
Alcohol is far from a health food. Excessive drinking is a major cause of death and disability from liver disease, certain cancers, accidents, and neurological disease, not to mention psychosocial woes and other problems. But in modest amounts, alcohol appears beneficial, largely because moderate drinking is linked to a reduced risk of heart attacks and certain types of strokes. The best "dose" for men appears to be 15 to 30 grams of alcohol a day. That's the amount in one to two drinks, counting 1½ ounces of liquor, 12 ounces of beer, or 5 ounces of wine as one drink.
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