Antioxidant And Wine

Antioxidants And Wine The New Apple A Day
By Elizabeth Penning

All those times you’ve defended yourself after a few glasses of wine with the argument that wine is good for your health, you were actually right. Antioxidants and wine are clearly linked according to research. Just as fruits and vegetables with bright skins such as apples and tomatoes are found to be rich in antioxidants, grapes too have a high content of antioxidants. Red wine more than white wine is rich in antioxidants. Taken in moderate amounts, wine and its antioxidants can be highly beneficial.

The French Paradox

The French Paradox is a term used to describe the fact that although the French consume large amounts of fat in their daily lives, they have a relatively low rate of heart disease. The average French person consumes roughly 108 grams of fat from animal sources on a daily basis as compared to 72 grams consumed by the average American.

And yet there is a vast disparity between the rates of heart disease between the two countries. About 230 men out of 100,000 die of coronary heart disease while the number is only 83 out of 100,000 in France. The lower heart disease rates are linked to the fact that the French consume red wine on a daily basis with most meals. This is thought to have a positive effect in reducing the risk of heart disease. Resveratol is an antioxidant and it is this antioxidant and wine that are behind the French Paradox.

Why Red Wine?

It is not just red wine that that is thought to be beneficial in moderation. There are other alcohol beverages that are thought to be beneficial to health but the jury is divided over which alcoholic beverages are most effective at providing antioxidants and in what proportion. However the link between wine and antioxidants has been established.

Red wine holds the place as the healthiest alcoholic beverage because of its fermentation process. Red wine is fermented with the grape skins while white wine is not. This is how red wine gets its colour. Because the grape skins are left in the wine during the fermentation, the wine and antioxidants are absorbed.

As all the research stresses however, moderation is the key here. An alcoholic cannot claim to be reaping the benefits of consuming alcohol as alcohol in large quantities brings other health complications. A glass a day of red wine however is ideal in a fight against heart disease, strokes and cancer along with a diet already rich in antioxidants. Red wine and antioxidants are an ideal way to add to a healthy diet.

Author Details:
Elizabeth Penning, copywriter for various websites including, Natural Deodorant and The A to Z of with her main interests being holistic medicine and all things natural.

Article Source: Top Health Articles

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