| Resveratrol is a polyphenol type flavonoid | | | | guide. Generally, the richer and darker the colour |
| currently exciting great interest as a potential | | | | of the wine the more resveratrol will be found. |
| boon to health. Like other flavonoids and | | | | Rose types and light reds may contain some, but |
| polyphenols, it is a very useful anti-oxidant in its | | | | white wines produced by a juice fermentation |
| own right, but resveratrol has attracted particular | | | | alone will provide little if any. |
| attention as a potential solution to the so-called | | | | Usually it is the red wines produced in the sunnnier |
| "French Paradox". | | | | climates close to the Mediterranean, and the New |
| This is the term used to describe the | | | | World, which will be richest in resveratrol, and |
| phenomenon, which has long been a puzzle to | | | | dark red wines of this type may provide as much |
| medical science, by which rates of cardiovascular | | | | as 2 mg of resveratrol in a small 5 oz glass. But |
| disease in France have remained low relative to | | | | unfortunately from a health point of view, these |
| those in the rest of the developed world, despite | | | | also tend to be the strongest in alcohol and the |
| the widespread national consumption of a diet high | | | | so-called "congeners" which accentuate hangovers. |
| in animal fat and cholesterol, and a firmly | | | | But fortunately for those who dislike red wine, or |
| entrenched tobacco habit. Of course France also | | | | are concerned about alcohol intake, other sources |
| enjoys many of the benefits of the so-called | | | | of resveratrol are available. The amount in foods |
| Mediterranean diet through its high intake of fresh | | | | varies widely, but the best sources are peanuts |
| fruit and vegetables, oily fish and olive oil, but | | | | and red grapes, both of which may provide |
| there are good reasons to think that the | | | | anywhere between 0.3 and 1.3 mg of resveratrol |
| consumption of red wine may be the real | | | | per cup. Bilberries and cranberries may also be a |
| explanation of the apparent paradox. | | | | useful source. |
| It is known in any case that the moderate | | | | Supplements of resveratrol are also now readily |
| consumption of alcohol has a significant protective | | | | available, principally in the form of red wine or red |
| effect on the cardiovascular system, reducing | | | | grape extracts, which will also contain other |
| disease by as much as 20-30%, but conventional | | | | anti-oxidant polyphenols. Manufacturers' |
| medical opinion is characteristically cautious in | | | | recommended doses will typically provide |
| acknowledging that the resveratrol in red wine | | | | between 10 and 50 mg of resveratrol, which |
| may have any benefits over and above those | | | | would require a very high, and potentially |
| which would in any case be provided by the | | | | hazardous, level of wine consumption to achieve |
| alcohol. However, the role of fat-soluble | | | | regularly. |
| anti-oxidants in protecting the circulatory system | | | | That said, there is no known toxicity from taking |
| from damaging free radical attack is well | | | | resveratrol, as such, although its blood thinning |
| understood, and it would therefore appear that | | | | properties will tend to inhibit the blood's clotting |
| the resveratrol and other polyphenols contained in | | | | ability and resveratrol is therefore not |
| red wine can only be beneficial. Laboratory tests, | | | | recommended for those taking anti-coagulant |
| moreover, have shown resveratrol to have | | | | drugs such as warfarin, or certain types of |
| significant anti-coagulant and anti-inflammatory | | | | anti-inflammatory including aspirin. Needless to say, |
| effects. | | | | however, toxicity problems of a different kind |
| For the purposes of obtaining your intake of | | | | may occur if alcoholic drinks are used to excess |
| resveratrol from wine you need to know that it's | | | | as the principal or only source. |
| contained principally in the skins of red or black | | | | But as noted above, moderate consumption is |
| grapes, and is consequently found in significant | | | | generally recognised to be beneficial to health, |
| quantities only in those wines produced by an initial | | | | particularly for the cardiovascular system. So the |
| pulp fermentation which allows the developing | | | | message seems to be: if you want to enjoy a |
| alcohol to leach both colour and other substances, | | | | couple of glasses of wine with your dinner then |
| including resveratrol, from the skins. It follows that | | | | go right ahead. And have that age old pleasure |
| the longer this pulp fermentation is allowed to | | | | enhanced by the knowledge that the resveratrol |
| continue the more resveratrol the wine will | | | | it contains is also doing you some good. |
| contain. So the colour of the wine is a handy | | | | |