Resveratrol for Heart Health

" Red wine is good for the heart. " This tagline continues to intoxicate some people in the world since red wine merited attention as a health defender. This medical "breakthrough" has received different reactions from those who are directly associated with it. Drinkers groggily rejoice at the good news, health buffs defiantly question the issue, and the general population remains passively clueless at the real score of red wine.

What is the story behind the sudden promotion of red wine from health threat to "health protector"? Studies have shown that moderate red wine consumption lowers the risk of heart disease. The protective effect of red

wine is not due to its alcohol content, but rather to the presence of a simple non-alcoholic constituent now known as resveratrol.

Resveratrol acts as an antioxidant, antimutagen, and anti-inflammatory agent, protecting the body against cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Red wine is produced from red or black grapes. Because grape juice is white, the grapes are fermented with the skins. The soaking process not only gives wine the red color, it also allows the wine to absorb the resveratrol. Because of this, red wine contains more resveratrol than white wine, which is fermented after the grape skins have been removed.