Some people hold off drinking alcohol during the week, and save their drinking for the weekend, however, a controversial study from the University of Toulouse in France is suggesting that a little bit of alcohol every day is healthier than downing large amounts in one or two evenings, reports the Daily Mail.
Weekend binge-drinking, according to at study published in the British Medical Journal, is more harmful than taking a small amount of alcohol every day.
Researchers compared the drinking habits of middle-aged men from France and Northern Ireland. In France, men drank 30 units per week on average, but more often spread throughout the week, while the Irish men drank 22 units, but usually concentrated over one weekend.
The study found that drinking a small amount each day provides better protection for health, while binge-drinking promotes blocked arteries, and the accumulation of visceral fat associated with diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers.
Experts suggest the benefits of drinking a small daily amount could include the reduction of inflammation and blood clotting, and boosting the level of antioxidants, which is thought to help protect against cancer.
For women, the recommended safe daily intake is three units – about one-and-a-half glasses of wine. For men, the safe amount is four units: ‘bingeing’ starts at about three glasses of wine.