Red Wine For Heart Health?
They say the French have the secret to longevity and it appears that might be so much more than just a myth, after all we all know how much the French love their red wine, and interestingly they have a much lower level of heart disease than we do in America.
Recently it sees the link has been confirmed. In fact, the study back in 1992 called the "French Paradox" shown a 40% lower mortality rate from ischemic heart disease in French people even though they eat a diet high in saturated fats. It appears it's all in the Resveratrol, which is found in red wine.
The antioxidants in the wine help to prevent heart disease because they increase good cholesterol and protect the arteries from becoming damaged. The antioxidant in wine that seems to be so powerful is Resveratrol and while studies continue on this anti aging compound and wine what we know for sure is that there definitely appears to be a link.
A study of 10,000 American males between 35 and 74 years of age saw 115 die from heart disease of 10,000 French males between the same ages, only 85 die.
The source of Resveratrol is from the skins of red grapes. The fermentation process with the skins is longer in red than white wine, which is why reds do the best job at promoting heart health.
It is believed that heart disease stems from inflammation and clotting in the cardiovascular system. Studies have confirmed that Resveratrol reduces inflammation and blood clotting that occurs in the heart. On top of that it decreases bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol. Finally it protects your blood vessels.
Resveratrol has shown promising results in minimizing the damage after a heart attack or stroke. A recent study indicated that three weeks of Resveratrol supplements following heart attack improvements post ischemic left ventricular functions and reduce the occurrence of repeat myocardial infarction, The study showed that Resveratrol provided a dramatic increase in cardio protection.
It's important to note the study was on rats so further research is necessary. We should also add that no one with heart attack or stroke should start drinking alcohol without first talking to their doctor.
There is no question that Resveratrol has some benefits when it comes to heart health. The red variety of wine and the Resveratrol found in them help to decrease platelet aggregation of the blood. What this means is it makes the blood less sticky and it's beneficial in preventing thrombosis and heart problems.
All of these combined means a good wine can be a valuable tool in heart health when drank in moderation. Perhaps the real way to enjoy the benefits of wine is in a precise 'red wine pill' rather than enjoying a glass of red. In fact, one pill has as much Resveratrol as 1000 glasses of wine. Is not it time to enjoy the heart health those from French seem to enjoy?