Personally, I rarely ever drink. When I do drink, though, it’s usually a glass of wine. That’s it – one glass. And that’s where I think the best advice lies: If you’re going to drink, make it one glass a day and make it wine. Here’s the latest justification for why I offer that recommendation: According to a new crop of research on alcohol consumption, drinking one glass a day of wine for women and two glasses a day of wine for men boosts the effectiveness of heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids. This is according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which was conducted by researchers from Catholic University in the boot-shaped country of Italy.

The researchers trolled the blood work of about 1,600 participants in the study, between the ages of 26 and 65, all hailing from one of three Western European countries, Belgium, Italy or Switzerland. Some of the participants were primarily wine drinkers, while others were beer guzzlers or spirits sippers.

The researchers found a greater concentration of omega-3 fatty acids among those who were wine drinkers, and this concentration was greatest among those who drank moderately – about two glasses a day for men and one glass a day for women. The findings held true when other factors were taken into consideration where omega-3 fatty acids might be in greater supply, like through a diet high in fish.

I’ve written at great length about the benefits of omega-3. Not only are they great for the heart and protect it from the world’s leading killer – heart disease – but they have other benefits as well, like decreasing hunger pangs, reducing the risk of cancer cell growth and improving the debilitating effects of rheumatoid arthritis.

To get a greater dose of omega-3 fatty acids, one can always start eating more fish. Fish is probably the best food source for omega-3 fatty acids, with oily fish like salmon and mackerel serving as heavy hitting honchos of seafood selections. Non-seafood sources high in omega-3s include flax, eggs, grass-fed beef, even chicken, depending on the chicken’s diet (the kinds of things land roaming animals eat plays a big role in how much omega-3 activity is in their meat).

While I eat a lot of seafood (I try for two times a week), my favorite way to get a healthy dose of omega-3s is by supplementing with Carlson’s Fish and Cod Liver Oil. It’s the best one on the market today among a bevy of omega-3 supplements to choose from. Supplementing and a glass of wine a day is a great way to keep omega-3s operating at peak levels.