It turns out that we are right when saying the toast „good health”! First writings concerning the use of wine in medicine come from the IV and V century B.C. Hippocrates recommended wine among other alcoholic drinks as a medicine for fever, as an antiseptic, diuretic means, and helping in convalescence. It was proved that wine over two thousand years was the only antiseptic means of healing wounds.
The issue of the „Bordeaux’s paradox” was known in the seventies of XX century. Despite high consumption of wine the inhabitants of this region of France had the lowest rate of death resulting from cardio-vascular diseases, though they lived on a diet rich in fats. Numerous research, indeed, confirm that the use of resveratrol and polyphenols effectively fights free radicals and inflammations caused by nutrition errors, mainly by fats.
British epidemiologist from University Collage of London, Michael Marmot, proved that the life curve is U-shaped, high for abstainers and alcohol overusing drinkers, low for moderate drinkers.
In 2004 the International journal of cancer published an article which indicates that the risk of prostate cancer is reduced by half for men drinking 4 or more wine glasses every week. Resveratrol, a substance with anti-inflammatory properties, helps blocking enzymes causing cancer.
“Sung-Jung Park, Cell, 2012” – “NZ Nutrition Foundation, Cholesterol” specifies advantages of moderate alcohol drinking for metabolic system, which stimulates production of HDL, good cholesterol or lipoproteins, transporting cholesterol to the liver and preventing blood platelets to stick together in blood vessels. Resveratrol also activates an enzymatic protein which thanks to special processes inhibits the ageing process.
All the above mentioned advantages lie in the antioxidant properties of wine. Once it were known only the health benefits of tannins in wine, while now there is a wide range of chemical compounds like flavonoids, catechins, leucoanthocyanins, anthocyanins and resveratrol. Their concentrations depend on many factors such as grape variety, vintage, zone of origin and vinification techniques. These compounds efficiently protect cells, elastic fibers, collagen and prevent the oxidation of bad cholesterol (LDL).
RED WINE AND RESVERATROL
Resveratrol is a polyphenolic compound belonging to phytoalexins, substance produced and accumulated by some plants, including the vine, in response to attack by pathogens and interaction with other physical and chemical factors (for example UV). Its concentrations depend on many factors:
• variety of grape: red grapes contain in average 8 times higher resveratrol concentrations than whites
• environment: (humidity, rain amounts, ventilation, temperature, sunny days, exposition, latitude and longitude).
• human activity: growing method, use of pesticides based on cupper. Fertilization makes the fruit set bigger and reduces levels of resveratrol. Less leaves on the vine tree is favorable to the vine growth, because it is more exposed to ultraviolet radiation (UV). The time of vintage: resveratrol concentrations is maximal in the middle of grape growing period, then is on the decline.
Malolactic fermentation and ageing in the barrel also make wine has high levels of resveratrol.
Below a map presenting appellations and wines with highest concentrations of this beneficent compound:
GOOD NEWS ABOUT WHITE WINE
Recent scientific research proved that phenolic acid contained in white wine and caffeic acid have a protective role in blood vessels, boosting production of nitrogen oxide, a powerful antioxidant. It effectively protects blood vessels and kidneys. However, it’s known that whites contain more sulfites, disliked so much! They are accused of side effects, associated with wine drinking, like headaches or feelings of spinning in head, but it isn’t caused by sulfites, but ethanol or alcohol if you like.
WHY WOMEN HAVE A LOWER TOLERANCE FOR ALCOHOL?
It’s well known that women worse metabolize alcohol, it all can be however explained from a medical point of view. Above all the tolerance for alcohol depends on body mass and physical activity, but men and woman also metabolize alcohol in different way. It’s because of a specific enzyme, which woman has 4 times less than men. This enzyme can have a higher activity, so if woman drinks wine in moderation for long time, can achieve a higher tolerance for alcohol, almost like men. It can be said that moderate drinking is aimed at finding proper balance, so that positive effects prevail negative. In this way, we don’t need to give up pleasure of drinking wine, so good health!
