Wine drinkers live longer

Drinking red wine and cooking with olive oil may help us to live longer, say scientists. Figures from the European Union show that people living in Mediterranean countries like Spain and Italy can expect to live longer on average than people in other countries. Key ingredients in both substances can significantly increase the lifespan of yeast. Since yeast and humans share many genes, scientists have speculated they may have the same effect in people. The findings provide more evidence to suggest that the Mediterranean diet may be the secret to living a long and healthy life.

Drinking up to half a glass of wine a day may boost life expectancy by five years, at least in men. Red wine consumption - roughly 1 or 2 glasses a day - to a longer, healthier life. And for years researchers have hypothesized that wine’s unique antioxidants like resveratrol were the key to the liquid’s life-extending benefits. Wine drinkers make healthier food choices than beer drinkers.

Another interesting finding is that wine buyers spent more than beer buyers, though people who bought both wine and beer spent most of all. Wine drinkers tend to be better educated and wealthier than beer drinkers, which also results in better health.