The benefits of a good wine

Here, the very good news, from the latest studies.

By the way... the health benefits come from limited wine consumption, defined by the American Heart Association as one to two glasses a day (4 ounce).

The Evidence: Wine drinkers have a 34 percent lower mortality rate than beer, cocktails or booze drinkers.

The polyphenols are support molecules of the principal organoleptic properties of the wines.They are widely present in the wine, more present in the red wines than in the white . One finds them :

• Tannins, in charge of the gustatory properties.

• Astringency is due to tannins catechins (natural antioxidant phenol) which precipitate salivary proteins, involving this feeling of oral drought ;

• Anthocyanins, these red pigments responsible for the color of the wine; flavones, these yellow dyes which give their color to the white wines.

These phenolic compounds come from the solid parts of grape, strips and pips. They are extracted during fermentation and from the maceration. More the grapes are mature, fresh and lively, and more they contain molecules interesting for the structure of the wine with consequently, more qualities. The polyphenols which are in general rather fragile, are preserved relatively well during the vinification. One especially finds them significantly amount in the red wines where them concentration can vary according to type of vine. Natural and organic red grapes are the bests !

The Pinot Noir, the Cabernet, the Merlot, the Malbec (Cot or Auxerrois in Cahors- France), the Syrah, the Grenache, the Mourvèdre and for sure, the famous Tannat*.

There is a fundamental property of the wine polyphenols, their antioxidant powers which make it possible the organization to fight against the aggressions of oxygen at the origin of a large number of diseases. The polyphenols are indeed reducers as powerful antioxidants. When they pass in blood, they continue to fight against the aggressions of oxygen, in particular against the oxygenated free radicals which are at the origin of a large number of diseases.

The resveratrol is part of polyphenols. It is present in a great quantity of grapes,lees, musts and the wines. The vine star is : Pinot Noir !

By 1992, the first studies recognize the role of resveratrol against the coronary diseases and its cardioprotector effects (The Famous French paradox). Thus one could note a reduction of more than 50% of the risks of the populations studied against the cardiovascular or neurodegenerative(Alzheimer) diseases with his anti viral role, neuro protector, anti-age and anti-inflammatory.

In 1997, a research team of Chicago discovers that this substance, presents in grape and the wine, inhibits three major stages of the carcinogenesis (birth of a cancer): the beginning of the tumeur, thanks to its antioxidant and antimutagenic properties, the promotion and the progression of the tumour. Thus it was shown that this molecule even seems to be able to fight against specific cancers, in a preventive way, by inhibiting the expression coding gene at the beginning !

*south west in France

Want to know more about qualities of a good wine ? Come to see us in our wine bar and cellar : Vivez Joyeux (Live Joyfully), 300 Petronia Street, Key West

If, for some reasons, you still like artificial sweeteners and colouring, caramel colouring, trans fat... see Chemical cuisine !