Men who consumed about 1.5 to 2 classes of red wine with a traditional Mediterranean Diet were about 0.4years biologically younger than non-drinkers.

That's the conclusion of a new study just reported in the International Journal of Public Health. Men who drank excessively had worse outcomes.

Interestingly, the J-curve wasn't limited to wine consumption but also extended to other Mediterranean Diet components, such as vegetables and the ration of monounsaturated fats to saturated fats, leading the researchers to conclude that "wine is not the only dietary component showing this type of J-shaped association with biological aging.

"The counterintuitive results for meat consumption could reflect a protective role of animal proteins, particularly in preserving muscle mass and function during aging, as well as providing essential micronutrients such as vitamin B12, iron, and zinc, which are critical for healthy aging.

Why might red wine, but not beer or distilled spirits, play a role in lengthening a man's lifespan? One explanation, the researchers noted, is that wine is a major source of polyphenols which have been implicated in reducing inflammation, oxidative stress, and improving metabolic function, all mechanisms involved in aging, and specifically reflected in our biological age measure.

Previous studies have shown that the protective associations of alcohol with certain health outcomes are more pronounced among wine drinkers, the researchers noted, suggesting that these benefits may stem from components other than ethanol.

The full study is here.