While you might enjoy an occasional drink or two, alcohol is well known for its high calorific profile. From spirits to a glass of wine, the researchers have now looked at a variety of drinks to see how different types of alcohol affect your visceral fat levels.
Looking at older Brits, the research, published in the Obesity Science & Practice journal, found that drinking red wine has been linked to carrying less visceral fat.
Unlike subcutaneous fat, visceral fat isn’t the jiggly substance underneath your skin that you can pinch.
Considered as dangerous, this type of fat lurks deep inside your belly, wrapping around your internal organs like the liver, kidneys and intestines.
What’s worse, the culprit can hike your risk of various serious conditions, ranging from heart disease to diabetes.
READ MORE: Supplements warning: Calcium could increase heart attack risk – take with ‘caution’
Research now looked at what role alcohol plays for your levels, with red wine coming top of the list for less visceral fat.
However, not all wine types offer the same benefits as white wine doesn’t share this outcome.
This is because red wine packs more polyphenols – plant compounds – compared to the white drink.
The anti-inflammatory properties of these goodies have been linked to protective effects for heart disease, cancer and obesity.
DON’T MISS
The research team said adults should be encouraged to only drink in moderation and to replace the likes of beer and spirits with wine.
While people who are at risk of developing osteoporosis could be advised to consume a higher proportion of total alcohol intake from white wine.
However, the NHS added that alcohol has been linked to various harmful conditions, including cancer.
“It’s now thought that the evidence on a protective effect from moderate drinking is less strong than previously thought,” they shared.
Remember, the recommended weekly limit for alcohol is set at 14 units, which represents the equivalent of six pints of average-strength beer or 10 small glasses of low-strength wine.
