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Is red wine actually good for your heart? Mayo Clinic experts say it can be

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We have all heard that red wine is good for the heart, but is that really true?

"You know, alcohol is something that I get asked about a lot," said Dr. Eric Yang from the Mayo Clinic.

Yang said having a drink or two per night can be beneficial to reducing the chances of having a heart attack or stroke, but like anything, there is a limit.

"Having a drink or two and that's good, (and people think) well maybe three or four is even better. It doesn't work like that. I think having more than two drinks for a man on average a night and one for a woman is actually probably detrimental, but having one drink for a female and two for a male may reduce the chances of having a cardiovascular event," he said.

You've probably heard that resveratrol in red wine is key, but the benefit might not be that limited.

"There there are some data suggesting that any type of alcohol in moderation, you know, one to two drinks, as I said, may be beneficial," Yang said.

So what is the element that makes it work?

"It may be associated with being more social, or being in an environment where you feel more relaxed. The exact mechanism is unknown," he said.

Cheers!