Getting the most from your toast
Drinking 1330 bottles of wine? It gives me a hangover just thinking about it. But that's how much you'd have to consume per day to get the sorts of heart-health benefits scientists have pinned on resveratrol, one of the compounds in red wine. Don't put down your corkscrew just yet though… It turns out there's a different chemical in red wine that not only boosts heart health, but also helps defy aging -- and even increases life span. It's called procyanidin, and you don't have to fill a swimming pool with wine to get an ample dose of it. But there is a catch… You can't get procyanidin from just any merlot you pick up at your corner liquor store. According to a recent study published in the journal Nature, a wine's procyanidin content depends on three specific factors involved in its production, starting with the grapes themselves. If the grapes are too ripe when they're picked and processed, the wine will have a higher sugar content and a lower procyanidin content. Then there's the fermenation process. To reach its full procyanidin potential, a wine should ferment for 3 to 4 weeks. And finally, there's the issue of filtration: The wines with the highest levels of procyanidin haven't undergone much -- if any -- filtering (or "fining" as it's called in the wine-making world). Unfortunately, almost every modern winemaker in the world breaks every single one of these rules! The simple fact is, wines that have a higher sugar content, spend less time fermenting, and have been filtered sell better…because they're sweeter, smoother, and have a higher alcohol content. But if you want REAL health benefits from your glass of wine, you've got to look for the exact opposite. According to the researchers from the William Harvey Research Institute and the University of Glasgow who discovered procyanidin's amazing health potential, there are two guidelines you should follow when you're choosing a wine - pick a variety that is less sweet
- go for a lower alcohol content
Red wines from Southwest France and Sardinia, Italy are the ideal choices. In fact, the researchers found that wines from these regions had a procyanidin content 5 times higher than wines from Spain, South America, Australia, and the U.S. -- meaning they're 5 times better for you. Specifically, the research team found that Cabernet Sauvignon and Nebbelio grapes impart the most procyanidin into their wines (when they're produced using the techniques outlined above). But they were also careful to note that, when it comes to procyanidin, less is more: Two small glasses of wine a day -- consumed with a meal -- are all it takes to get the health benefits of this natural compound. Sources:
"The procyanidins of red wine and their anti-aging effect," NaturalNews (www.naturalnews.com), 12/09/08
"Real link between drinking red wine and increased longevity," EMaxHealth (www.emaxhealth.com), 11/30/06
"Procyanidins in red wine help you live longer," Medical News Today (www.medicalnewstoday.com), 11/30/06 | 
