Red Wine and Healthy Heart Linked on Several Levels
An eight year study by Harvard showed that red wine and healthy heart are linked to a type of antioxidant called “flavonoids.” The impacts they contribute in lowering the risk of coronary heart disease include:
Researchers were first attracted to the potential red wine benefits for a healthy heart by what was called the “French paradox.” French people have relatively few heart attacks, yet have one of the richest diets in the world – two traits that seem to be mutually exclusive. It wasn’t until people began studying what the French were pairing there foods with that red wine started gaining so much attention. It was in these first studies that the multiple health improvements that flavonoids afford were realized.
A more recent study of red wine, published in Nature magazine, has identified two more elements that make red wine and a healthy heart linked – beyond cholesterol improvements. The first component is called “resveratrol” and seems to improve the muscle tissue of the heart. Laboratory mice dosed with resveratrol lived twice as long as those not given the ingredient.
The second substance found in red wine and healthy heart ties is “procyanidins;” they improve the quality of the cells that are tied to the arteries that power the heart. It’s still not entirely clear how this is achieved. In addition to red wine, procyanidins are also found in dark chocolate, apples and cranberries.
Red wine and healthy heart benefits seem to be limited. Like their red counter part white wines contain these substances, but to a lesser degree – about 80% less! This all seems to be connected to the deep purple-red skin of the grape. Interestingly the more traditional methods for making red wine (how the red grape is squeezed, soaked and stored) produce higher concentrations of flavonoids, resveratol and proyanidins across the board.
These three aspects of red wine and healthy heart also seem to have promise in helping curb obesity and help those dealing with Type II diabetes – keeping those two conditions in check is a significant step towards a heart healthy life. Those studies involving red wine’s role in impacting obesity and diabetes are still underway. Not all red wines are created equally, though, when it comes to heart health. The dry red wines contain more flavonoids. These include:
As with any dietary program – moderation in the consumption of red wine is urged. One or two glasses a day (about five ounces per glass) produce the most positive results. As with any dietary change, keep your doctor informed and be alert to any problems that seem to arise from the alteration.
You will also want to include an exercise and behavior modification program into your daily life. You can start by following the steps below that are scientifically proven to work.
It might be time to raise a glass to toast the red wine and healthy heart aspects of the “vin rouge” that swirls in your glass. So, go ahead. Follow the steps above and start losing weight today. |