Resveratrol – A Super Antioxidant Found in Red Wine!
We all have guilty pleasures. Things that make you bite your lip when you admit them to others. So, here it goes … once in a while I indulge in a glass or two of red wine. Okay, maybe more than once in a while!
We’ve all heard red wine can be healthy, in moderation of course, so I did a little reading on red wine and it’s benefits. I was excited to find out some really great stuff which doesn’t make me feel so guilty anymore!
Red wine contains the heart-protective compound called resveratrol. Resveratol is that super antioxidant compound found in grapes, mainly in the skin. Red wine contains more resveratrol than white wine because the grape skins remain on longer during the wine making process. Resveratrol helps protect cells from damage by free radicals, and is known to combat cancer, reduce signs of aging and reduce the number of fat cells in our body. Who doesn’t like the sound of that? It’s no wonder I love my red wine so much!
Researchers at the University of Ulm in Germay took a strain of human fat cell precursors, called preadipocytes. These are baby cells in our bodies that develop into fat cells. In this study they found that resveratrol inhibited the pre-fat cells from increasing and prevented them from converting into mature fat cells. It was also discovered was that resveratrol stimulated formation of a protein known to decrease the risk of heart attack. Read More
According to the Mayo Clinic, studies suggest resveratrol may raise HDL, (good, cholesterol), protect blood vessels from damage, prevent blood clots and reduce risk of diabetes. It may also inhibit the growth of cancer cells. those findings were reported only in mice, not in people. Although, these findings are consistent with the observation that French people eat a relatively high-fat diet and drink a lot of red wine but on average are not overweight and have a low death rate from heart disease. French Women Don’t Get Fat.