There is currently a lot of media coverage on the benefits of drinking wine, particularly its ability to aid weight loss.

It's so confusing! One day red wine will help us live longer, the next it will send us to an early grave!

Well, as we love wine, we have decided to be optimistic on the subject and put together the top 5 reasons to drink wine, according to scientists (well some!).

A glass of wine is like hitting the gym

Researchers at the University of Alberta have said that drinking a glass of red wine has the same benefits as an hour exercising in the gym.

They have said that resveratrol in red wine improves physical performance, heart function and muscle strength in the same way that they improve after a gym session.

It can help you lose weight

Resveratrol, which is found in berries, grapes and other fruits in wine, could also aid weight loss according to a study from Washington State University.  Apparently it converts white fat cells into brown or beige fat, which are easier to burn off.

It can cut your risk of heart

A 2015 study published in the journal Nature found that resveratrol may also protect the body against age-related diseases like heart disease. It prompts an evolutionary defence mechanism guarding human cells against genetic damage.

It makes you more attractive

A study by the University of Bristol found that a small amount of alcohol may cause blood to rush to the cheeks, giving a rosy complexion which can make you look more attractive, even to your sober peers.

Two glasses of wine was found to make participants less attractive though, so either drink in moderation, or make sure you are not drinking alone!

It can reduce your risk of dementia

A study at the Institute of Preventive Medicine in Copenhagen found that people who drink wine weekly or monthly are two times less likely to develop dementia.

Who knows that they will be saying next week, but for now, you can enjoy a glass or two of your favourite wine and relax in the knowledge that it is good for you.