Fit and Youthful Life

Guest Author: William Gonzalez


Red wine is really good for your health, and this fact is one of the most talked about pieces of dietary news to arise in recent years. Dr. Oz says part of the reason is the resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant that comes from the skin of grapes. White wine has no resveratrol benefit because vintners don’t do the same process to make white wine than that of red wine.

Resveratrol also turns on a system in your body that prevents cells from aging. Dr. Oz also says that you can get some resveratrol from Concord grape juice or other dark grape juices, but you won’t get as much benefit as you would get from red wine. “80% of the benefit of the wine is alcohol, and 20% is resveratrol. It’s the combination that makes this red wine so valuable. But also remember, moderation is the key when drinking to your health. Dr. Oz recommends that people should drink about 1 glass of red wine a day.

Some men can drink slightly more because males metabolize alcohol more effectively compared to females. You can also get anti-aging nutrients from spices. Dr. Oz says that research have shown that cinnamon can decrease blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol, especially those with type-2 diabetes. Turmeric is also a relief from those who suffer from arthritis. This Turmeric is a spice found in curry that has also been reported to help prevent Alzheimer’s. Cayenne Pepper and Patrika can also help fight high blood pressure and improve circulation. Now you want to live longer, look younger, and be healthy, right?

Guest Author: JC McDowell


There has been a long standing debate on the health benefits of consuming moderate amounts of alcohol. Specifically in regards to red wine, it may not be the alcohol that is gaining so much attention as the resveratrol that is in the red wine.

While resveratrol can be found in plants such as peanuts, mulberries, eucalyptus, spruce, and lily, resveratrol is most abundant in grapes used to make wine. Vitis vinifera, muscadine, and labrusca grapes have the most abundant natural sources of resveratrol. Resveratrol can be found in the vines, roots, stalks, and seeds of the plants, but the highest concentration is found in the skins.

The amount of resveratrol contained in the wine is related to the length of time the grape skins are present during the fermentation process. That’s why the concentration of reseveratrol is much higher in red wine than in white wine where the juice is pressed from the grapes and the skins are removed early in the wine making process. Since grape juice is not a fermented beverage it is not a significant source of resveratrol.

Resveratrol is produced as part of a plants defense system and is an antibiotic to protect the plant against disease. Interestingly, higher concentrations of resveratrol are found in grapes grown in cooler climates where fungal infections are much more common.

The Japanese and Chinese have been using the active ingredient of resveratrol as a traditional treatment for human fungal, inflammatory, lipid, allergic, and hypertensive diseases for decades, but the health benefits of resveratrol in red wine have only came to the attention to the scientific community in recent years as a possible explanation for the ‘French Paradox’.

You see, the French have a high saturated fat diet, but a very low incidence of heart disease. Red wine, due to the grape skins, is thought to be the answer to this anomaly. Resveratrol is now being researched as a powerful antioxidant and anti-cancer agent. To date, there are no long term clinical studies to determine the health benefits of consuming red wine, but combined with the well documented benefits to moderate continual alcohol intake, there doesn’t appear to be a health risk associated with resveratrol in red wine.

Before you run out and start buying cases of red wine as a cure for heart disease remember that there can be too much of a good thing. The American Heart Association suggests 1-2 glasses of alcohol per day is the optimal amount to reduce the risk of heart disease. More than two glasses of alcohol per day pose long term health risks that far outweigh any potential health benefits that can be obtained with resveratrol as an antioxidant or anti-cancer agent.

A Toast! To the many good things that can be found in a bottle of Red Wine.



Secret of Youth