How might alcohol help the heart?

Many studies have shown that drinking regular, limited amounts of any type of alcohol helps the heart. It's not just red wine. It's thought that alcohol:

• Raises HDL cholesterol, also called the "good" cholesterol.
• Helps keep blood clots from forming.
• Helps prevent artery damage from high levels of LDL cholesterol, also called the "bad" cholesterol.
• May improve how well the layer of cells that line the blood vessels works.