When it comes to alcoholic beverages, we all have our drink of choice, whether you prefer a glass of wine or a fancy cocktail. But while these drinks can be equally as tasty and enjoyable, they're not necessarily known for their health benefits. Research has differed on whether red wine is actually good for your heart, and overdoing it with any alcohol is something medical professionals advise against. But now, a new study revealed a potential benefit of moderate consumption of beer and wine, which were associated with a lower risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
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The comprehensive meta-analysis was published in Nutrientslast month, including data from 30 large-scale studies on diet and RA risk. In total, researchers looked at 32 different dietary factors and their association with RA.
Unlike osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, which causes "wear-and-tear damage," RA affects the lining of joints, leading to painful swelling and later bone erosion and joint deformity, Mayo Clinic explains. The resultant inflammation can also affect other parts of the body, including your skin, eyes, lungs, heart, and blood vessels.
When investigators from the present study evaluated the relationship between low-to-moderate alcohol consumption and RA, they found that people who drank small amounts of beer or wine had a lower risk.
"This is a comprehensive study taking in the results of 30 different large-scale studies looking into the effects of diet on risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis," study co-author Janet Cade, PhD, nutritional epidemiologist at the University of Leeds in the UK, said in a statement to Newsweek.
She continued, "[It's] interesting to see that drinking a moderate amount of alcohol—the equivalent of one pint of lower-strength lager or beer, or one glass of wine a week—can lower rheumatoid arthritis risk."
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Staying within that limit is important, too. Researchers found that drinking four pints of beer or lager or 3.5 glasses of wine didn't lower participants' risk, while drinking in excess of that was linked with higher RA risk, Newsweek reported.
Researchers didn't observe any association between RA risk and liquor consumption—and, interestingly enough, coffee and tea were associated with an increased risk.
Cade also highlighted the more "promising" results, citing the positive effects other foods, including oily fish, cereals, vegetables, and vitamin D, can have on RA risk.
"More research will help us pinpoint exactly why these foods have the effect we have observed and develop tailored nutritional advice for people living with rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases," she told Newsweek.
