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A Toast to Red Wine |
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February is the month for sweethearts, valentines and American Heart Month. So get your honey and do as the French do - toast to your love and your heart with a glass of red wine.
Scientists began to investigate the benefits of drinking red wine when it was discovered that the French have a low incidence of heart disease, in spite of a high fat diet. This "French Paradox" led to several recent studies that have suggested that there are promising health benefits to drinking red wine.
Most alcoholic beverages, including wine, elevate HDL (good cholesterol) and prevent platelet aggregation (thickening of blood vessels and blood clots) and the development of atherosclerosis. But red wine has additional very potent antioxidant properties which make it unique. These properties come from 3 important polyphenols: resveratrol (found in grape skins), proanthocyanidins (found in grape seeds), and quercetin.
As wine is fermented, red wine stays in contact with the grape skins longer than white wine. Therefore, the concentration of resveratrol is significantly higher in red wine than white wine. All red wines appear to offer this extra antioxidant benefit, but cabernet sauvignon appears to be slightly more beneficial than the other reds. Grape juice is not fermented, so it is not a significant source of resveratrol. Other foods such as mulberries and peanuts do contain some resveratrol, but only in insignificant amounts. It is also thought that wine drinking patterns may be more important than the total amount consumed. For example, small amounts of wine each day may prolong the health effects compared to binge drinking.
Scientific research continues on the use of resveratrol for the possible prevention of lung and prostate cancer and its possible role in stimulating the growth of breast cancer. The proposed benefits of red wine consumption should be discussed with your MD and must be weighed against your particular health risk factors including pregnancy, liver disease, hypertension, alcoholism and others.
The bottom line: Research on resveratrol in red wine is continuing. More studies are needed to investigate its affect on other health concerns. But for many, the health benefits look promising.
Article written February 2006
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