Victory of the vices "'This study suggests that the time will come where people can eat French fries without plugging their arteries.'" That's a direct quote from the editor-in-chief of a major medical journal. And while I think he's being a tad overzealous, the study he's referring to was an interesting one on several levels. In this study, researchers from the Department of Food Science at the Volcani Center in Israel discovered that wine may help significantly reduce -- and possibly even completely prevent -- some of the harmful effects associated with eating fatty food. Specifically, they examined the effects of polyphenols from red wine on a substance called malondiadelhyde (MDA) which forms in the body during the digestion of fat and contributes to various fat-related health concerns, including cardiovascular disease. The study involved 10 subjects who were fed three different meals. The first consisted of dark turkey meat followed by a glass of water; the second consisted of dark turkey meat with 1 tablespoon of concentrated wine added after it had been cooked followed by a glass of red wine; and the third meal consisted of dark turkey meat that had been cooked along with the concentrated wine polyphenols followed by a glass of wine. After the turkey and water meal, the subjects' levels of MDA rose to five times what they were at the outset. However, after the second meal, the researchers noted a 75 percent reduction in MDA levels from what they had been after the turkey and water meal. And after the third meal, there were apparently no traces of MDA in the subjects' blood or urine samples. These findings are hardly the fried-food "get out of jail free" card the medical journal editor made them out to be. But they are good news for those of us who enjoy a glass of wine with dinner. And they also might help further explain one of life's ongoing mysteries: The French Paradox. For years, we've scratched our collective heads in wonder at the French, who remain relatively thin and healthy despite diets full of all those goodies we've been told are no- no's: butter, cream, pastry. But one thing you almost always see alongside those indulgent foods on any French bistro table is a glass of wine. Perhaps this latest study uncovered its purpose -- beyond general "joie de vivre." Of course, there is a limit to how much "joie" you should include in your "vivre." Once again, moderation is key when it comes to wine's health benefits. In the study above, the subjects got the MDA-blocking benefits from just a bit of wine added to their food as it was cooking, followed by a single glass after they ate. Sources:
"Wine polyphenols may reduce effect of fatty food: study," NutraIngredients (www.nutraingredients.com), 1/2/08
"A novel function of red wine polyphenols in humans: prevention of absorption of cytotoxic lipid peroxidation products," FASEB Journal 2008; 22: 41-46 | 
