Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Having an active social life can make it very difficult or nearly impossible for any girl to follow a strict diet plan or cut out alcohol from her life in order to shed some pounds. Turns out new research shows that wine (yeah, wine!) can actually help you keep your weight on track.

Sounds too good to be true doesn't it? But doctors say that the evidence of a recent study, in which they monitored nearly 20,000 normal sized women for over 13 years, is impressive. The women who drank about two glasses of red wine were 30 percent less likely to be overweight than the ones not drinking at all or drinking beer and other liquor.

Red wine contains a chemical called Ellagic acid which can slow the growth of fat cells and stop formation of new ones, so your body burns more fat. This chemical also boosts metabolism of fatty acids in liver cells.

According to New Yorker physician, Jana Klauer, "Aside from other benefits, wine is rich in antioxidants that reduce cholesterol and blood pressure."

For example, red wine contains Resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant that can help prevent a variety of different cancers. It's also great for heart health and preventing Alzheimer's, as it helps prevent cell damage. Drinking a glass of red wine every night increases levels of good cholesterol, HDL, while helping reduce the bad, LDL.

Combining all of the factors resulting from the study, chugging down some wine could lead to eating fewer calories and burning more calories. But keep in mind that you shouldn't replace food with wine! "Drinking wine isn't a weight-loss strategy on its own," says Dr. Klauer. Overdoing it is linked to health risks you don't want to take, like breast cancer. "But having a glass," says Dr. Klauer, "along with a healthy diet and exercise, seems to be a marker for a healthier lifestyle."