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Drinking red wine may be better for your microbiome than drinking other types of alcohol, according to a study of 3000 people.

Caroline Le Roy and colleagues at King’s College London found that red wine drinkers had a greater diversity of bacteria living in their guts, compared to people who drank beer, cider, white wine or spirits. The team found that this held true even when the age, wealth, diet and socioeconomic status of the participants were taken into account.

Having a diverse mix of gut microbes, rather than just a few dominant strains, is thought to be good for your health.

The team think red wine drinkers may have more of a mix of microbes than other drinkers because of polyphenols, defence chemicals in red wine that act as antioxidants. The findings may partly explain why red wine is linked to heart health, says Le Roy.

Drinking red wine rarely, such as once every two weeks, seemed to be enough to observe an effect on gut microbiota, she says.

But this doesn’t put red wine in the clear. “No doctor would recommend drinking on medical grounds, as any potential benefits of red wine polyphenols should be considered alongside alcohol’s links to over 200 health conditions, including heard disease and cancers,” says Sadie Boniface, at the Institute of Alcohol Studies, a UK charity.

“Polyphenols are also available from a range of other foods besides red wine,” says Boniface.

Journal reference: Gastroenterology