New research led by Dr Jeremy Spencer of Reading University suggests that a couple of glasses of Champagne a day are good for your heart and blood circulation. Further research is expected to see similar positive results for the less expensive alternatives, such as Cava and Prosecco.

The team found positive effects on the walls of blood vessels, helping to reduce the chance of stroke and heart disease. “Our data suggests that a daily moderate consumption of champagne wine may improve vascular performance via the delivery of phenolic constituents,” the researchers say in their paper.

Chemicals known as Polyphenols, which are also present in red wine, slow down the removal of nitrite oxide from the blood. With higher levels of nitrite oxide, vessels dilate, thus helping to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart problems and strokes.

Although Polyphenols are not found in white wine, Champagne consists of two black grape varieties, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Coca beans are also found to have high levels of Polyphenols.

See nzherald.co.nz for original article.