Drinking wine can help prevent a sore throat and reduce dental plaque, according to a new study

Let’s face it; most of us love a nice glass of wine or two.

It’s delicious, available in lots of different tastes and prices, and it goes with pretty much anything you’re eating. Be it fish, steak, chocolate or fruits, there’s a wine for that. Wine is even great on its own because you know, we’re not judging.

But recent studies have shown that wine is so much more than just a nice thing to drink. Turns out, it could be helping to prevent sore throats and plaque. We’re listening…

According to the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, red and white wines both contain antibacterial properties known for fighting off germs that can cause plaque and sore throats.

They even contain a number of organic compounds that can stop a cold in its tracks, so if you’re known for getting the sniffles, it’s time to pour yourself a glass. These compounds can kill 99.9% of bacteria, which is pretty impressive.

The study authors even went on to say: "Several studies suggest that moderate wine consumption has beneficial effects on human health,

Our findings seem to indicate that wine can act as an effective antimicrobial agent against the tested pathogenic oral streptococci and might be active in caries and upper respiratory tract pathologies prevention.

In conclusion, both red and white wines were proved to exert in vitro antibacterial activity against several oral streptococci."

As exciting as this news may be, you’re still best enjoying wine in moderation. We certainly don’t condone drinking excessive amounts of it regularly, and neither does a recent UK study that had some pretty shocking findings.

They estimated that consuming one 750ml bottle of wine per week increases the likelihood of developing cancer even in non-smokers.

At least you know when you do decide to pour yourself a glass; you’re not being as naughty as you might’ve thought.

We’ll drink to that.