Health

French get a sober warning to give up wine for their health

by Sanjay Jha | February 20, 2009 at 12:39 am

299 views | 19 Recommendations | 9 comments

Wine is historically an integral part of French cultural and socil life and no event take place without free flow of wine. But now for the first time France government in a campaign is urging people to stop drinking wine.

Let's see how many people heed to this request.

To the anger of the drinks industry and disbelief of many patriots, the Ministry of Health has made alcohol one of the chief villains in a drive against cancer.

“The consumption of alcohol, and especially wine, is discouraged,” say guidelines that are drawn from the findings of the National Cancer Institute (INCA). A single glass of wine per day will raise the chance of contracting cancer by up to 168 per cent, claims the ministry’s brochure.

Forget those 1980s findings that antioxidants in wine were good for health, said the French experts. “Small daily doses of alcohol are the most harmful. There is no amount, however small, which is good for you,” said Dominique Maraninchi, INCA’s president.

Authorities elsewhere have been telling people in recent years to go dry if they want to stay healthy. But the advice was especially sobering, coming from the Government of France, a country where wine is part of life and the national heritage.

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Rajeev Tyagi

at 01:58 on February 20th, 2009

Hi sanjay

Good information

Fripouille

at 02:14 on February 20th, 2009

Well all I can say is that I hope for his sake that people don't listen to them, because if they do, they will have to find jobs for around a million vituculters who will lose their livelihood.

That's why I drink wine. To save jobs (Ahem.....)

Thanks for the post!

nyctuber

at 04:17 on February 20th, 2009

jesus we never know what the right thing to do is.

Paschen

at 04:37 on February 20th, 2009

Hum, most interesting. I wonder is non alcoholic Wine will now take over. After all Noblesse Oblige.

Fripouille

at 04:43 on February 20th, 2009

Hi Paschen!

Beurk, I've tasted non-alcoholic wine. It's disgusting!! lol!

I'd prefer to drink coke with a meal than that stuff.

If the health ministry knew their job, they'd advise us not to drink that awful and unnatural "wine"!

Gimme a good bottle of Bordeaux at 12.5° anytime!

Yo!

Paschen

at 04:59 on February 20th, 2009

You need not to worry Fripouille once that we will have a demand and an eager supplier meaning the Wine industry now faced with a dilemma we will have some smart Chemist coming up with a solution and replicate the taste to perfection. Trust me I worked as a Chemical Eng. in large research labs many many years ago they figure it out. Why I left. I support research and know how as well as knowledge any time, but when business gets involved I rather keep my distances. Yet they will and some one at the Health ministry will even come and endorse it as healthy. Until the next decade...

Fripouille

at 05:07 on February 20th, 2009

Yeah, well they'd better do a good job of it, if not I'll make my own wine!

Two things in life should never change. One is good food, and the other is good wine.. :)

Sanjay Jha

at 08:47 on February 21st, 2009

Hello Rajeev, Thanks very much for your comment.

Christina Naylor (not verified)

at 03:15 on February 24th, 2009

Alcohol causes so much harm to our community, and our bodies, that the only disgusting thing is (1) that the Australian authorities keep plugging for "moderate" drinking, as though no one ever got addicted or ever foound it hard to stop after the first 1~2. (2) It is now impossible for me to buy purple grape juice, with seeds and skins, that has all the good qualities claimed for ferfmented wine, without the brain damage ad cancers, etc., caused by alcohol.alcohol. Why is it not produced in Australia? Lloyds Organic Shiraz and Black Muscatel grape juices are delicious, but as far as I know they don't have the seeds and skins.