In recent years, the idea that "red wine is good for your health" has been widely circulated worldwide. Recently, medical experts attending the India Health Summit unanimously refuted this claim, stating that wine, beer, and any form of alcoholic beverages do not promote human health.
"I have carefully studied nearly 16 million articles on human health and found none that prove alcohol is beneficial to health, especially the heart," said H.K. Chopra, President of the World Heart Federation and a senior cardiologist. "The idea that drinking red wine is good for the heart is just a perception. Why not just drink grape juice instead?"
Mishra, head of surgery at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), said: "Wine companies promote their products under the guise of red wine containing antioxidants, so many people blindly believe it and start drinking heavily, yet they never drink juice."
B.K. Rao, chairman of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, stated that India needs more fitness centers, not hospitals. "Most people do not realize the importance of health. While they eat junk food, drink carbonated beverages and alcohol, they constantly complain about their bodies being overburdened." "No one advocates the benefits of fitness, yet advertisements promoting the health benefits of wine are everywhere. This trend is truly worrying. What we need is healthy food and regular exercise, not wine."
Dr. S.C. Manchanda, former head of cardiology at AIIMS, also agreed with the above viewpoint, advising people not to drink wine and to drink water instead, as "water is what purifies the body." Nutritionist Shikha Sharma also criticized the claim that red wine is good for health, arguing that people's bodies are already overburdened, and in this situation, drinking wine or other alcoholic beverages will only add to the burden. What we need is a balanced diet.
A recent survey by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) showed that in 1999, 3.78 million people nationwide died from chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. By 2020, this number is expected to rise to 7.63 million.