In the 1980s, scientists in France coined the phrase ‘French Paradox’ to refer to the notion that drinking red wine might explain the relatively low rates of heart disease among their countrymen. The compounds theoretically explain wine’s heart-protecting properties. One 1997 study found that those who reported having at least one alcoholic drink per day were 30 to 40% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease than those who didn’t drink.