Around 8,000 to 10,000 years ago, an unknowing soul accidentally let the juice of a sweet fruit - perhaps dates, figs, or even grapes ferment. The outcome: The sugar in the juice fermented to alcohol and wine was born. Since then, wine has been a staple beverage of many cultures. In Mediterranean countries, for instance, people sip wine daily with their meals, and it's believed to be one of the reasons heart-disease rates are low in this European region.

The notion that wine may be good for you is not new. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, referred to wine's attributes in his writings. And today, we know from many research studies that people who drink one or two glasses of wine daily with meals have lower death rates from heart disease and stroke.

Wine's health benefits appear to be twofold. The alcohol in wine, whether red or white, helps protect the heart; and the phytochemicals from the skins of grapes that end up in wine, especially red varieties, also provide protection from heart disease. These two "attributes" raise wine above other alcoholic beverages as a good- for-you drink. But as with anything, especially alcoholic beverages, moderation is the key. In this case, more is definitely not better.

Wine provides heart-healthy benefits. Grape skins contain a class of phytochemical called flavonoids. When red wine is made, the juice ferments with the skins allowing the flavonoids to leach into the wine. This process imparts both flavor and color to the wine. As a result, red wine contains flavonoids. (Grape skins are removed during the making of white wines, hence a very low flavonoid content.) These flavonoids help take care of your heart by protecting your LDLs and preventing dangerous blood clots. (Red or purple grape juice also contains flavonoids but only about one-quarter to one-third the concentration found in red wine.)

Research from the University of Wisconsin shows that red wine flavonoids also help keep the blood platelets from becoming sticky. This means blood clots are less likely to form, lessening the chance of a heart attack. The heart-healthy benefit of wine, primarily red wine, should be put in perspective. Studies that confirm red wine is good for the heart also reveal that those people also typically consume their wine with meals.

Therefore, the timing and amount may be crucial in how both alcohol and flavonoids impact heart health. In fact, in regions of Italy and France where heart disease is relatively low, moderate wine drinking is learned from an early age around the dinner table. Displays of drunkenness are virtually nonexistent, and finding pleasure in sipping wine slowly at meals is typical.

However, drinking an entire bottle one night and then dividing this by seven for a "moderate" average over the week is missing the point. The key here is moderation at all times. Before you rush out and buy a bottle of Merlot, proceed with caution. Alcohol consumption, and this includes red wine, is not without risks.

Regular drinking may impair mental function and memory. Moreover, heavy drinkers (4 to 5 drinks or more per day) have a greater risk of developing hypertension. This increases the chance of stroke and kidney failure. Heavy drinking also increases the likelihood of liver damage and liver disease. In addition, keep in mind that alcohol consumption increases the risk of injuries and accidents at work and on the roadway.

For women, the increased risk of cancer (particularly breast cancer) with drinking must be weighed with the potential benefit of lowering the risk of heart disease. Talk over your cancer risk with your physician before you decide on moderate alcohol consumption (one drink per day).