RESVERATROL....HEART HEALTHY

SHOWN IS ONLY 1 SUPPLIER OF RESVERATROL...THERE ARE MANY OUT THERE
This blog relates to both my health blog and wine blog today so I am publishing it in both...guess it is just a lazy Sunday morning for me....

Red wine and something in it called resveratrol may be good for you. It is found in the skins of red grapes. For a long time red wine has been thought to be heart healthy if taken in moderation. The alcohol and certain substances in red wine called antioxidants may help prevent heart disease by increasing levels of good cholesterol and protecting against artery damage. Too much alcohol consumed can have damaging effects on your health. Still according to the Mayo Clinic doctors agree that something in red wine appears to help your heart. Researchers believe it is the flavonoids or resveratrol which is responsible for this and have heart healthy benefits for you. Antioxidants aren't the only benefiting factor in red wine for your body. It is also the alcohol content.


How is red wine heart healthy? Some studies show that red wine has even more heart health benefits than other types of alcohol while some other studies show that red wine is no better than beer, liquor or white wine. They still have not found that red wine is superior to any of these.


The studies supporting the red wine theory suggest the antioxidants called poylphenols will help protect the lining of the blood vessels of your heart. These antioxidants come in 2 forms flavonoids and nonflavonoids.

• flavonoids....found in oranges, apple, grape juice, onions, tea & cocoa. Red wine has higher amounts than beer or other alcohol.


• nonflavonoids...these appear to keep the arteries from blocking with fatty deposits. Studies though have only been done on mice...not humans. Resveratrol is the nonflavonoid which has drawn the most attention to the scientists.

Resveratrol might be the key ingredient in red wine which helps prevent damage to blood vessels , reduces bad cholesterol and prevents blood clots.

Resveratrol in red wine comes from the skin of the grapes used t o make the wine. Because red wine is fermented with the skin of the grapes longer than white wine this is the reason for higher content of resveratrol in the red as opposed to the white. You could of course eat grapes or drink red or purple grape juice but the content in red wine is higher because of the fermentation process. Blueberries, cranberries and peanuts also contain resveratrol.

How does alcohol affect your heart? Or benefit it?

• raises the good cholesterol levels


• reduces formation of blood clots


• helps prevent artery damage caused by bad cholesterol

Neither the American Heart Association or the National Heart Lung & Blood Institute recommend that you start drinking to prevent heart disease. Alcohol can be addictive and can cause other health issues. Drinking too much increases the risk of high blood pressure, liver damage, obesity, certain cancers, accidents and other problems. Even small amounts can cause heart failure in some people who have unnoticed health issues.

If you already drink red wine please do so in moderation. Moderate drinking is defined as 2 drinks a day for men and 1 drink a day for women. A drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80 proof distilled alcohol. The limit for men is higher because men are generally weigh more than women and have more of an enzyme which processes alcohol than women.