On the individual level the science is still murky, but we do know that people from cultures that have a glass of wine in the evening tend to be healthier and l

On the individual level the science is still murky, but we do know that people from cultures that have a glass of wine in the evening tend to be healthier and live longer that those who don't. That said, I don't necessarily think the magic is in the antioxidants in wine, nor do I think it has something to do with the cardiovascular effects of having alcohol in the bloodstream. My complete layperson theory is that no amount of alcohol is "healthy" per-se: its negative effects are well known and documented, and almost assuredly outweigh the few dubious positive effects. Instead, the benefits of drinking small amounts of alcohol might be entirely tied to stress management. Stress kills. It absolutely ages people and leads to early death. Having a wind-down ritual in the evening is probably the important bit. A glass of wine with dinner is a firm punctuation mark in a person's day. It signals that work is now over, and what's been left undone can be resumed tomorrow.