How might alcohol help the heart?

There's still no clear evidence that beer, white wine or liquor aren't any better than red wine for heart health.

Various studies have shown that moderate amounts of all types of alcohol benefit your heart, not just alcohol found in red wine. It's thought that alcohol:

• Raises HDL cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol)
• Reduces the formation of blood clots
• Helps prevent artery damage caused by high levels of LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol)
• May improve the function of the layer of cells that line your blood vessels