Research suggests that red wine has important health benefits for those who consume it regularly. Red wine appears to be particularly beneficial to the cardiovascular system, and research has focused on the antioxidant effects of consumption. The protection of lipoproteins from oxidation, as well as the improvements in platelet and endothelial function seen with red wine intake are possibly related to the high concentration of grape polyphenols that are contained within the complex chemistry. Grape skins are a mixture of a number of well researched polyhenols including favonols, anthocyanins and stilbenes. However, red wine also contains ethanol, and research has shown that alcohol itself may possess important benefits to the cardiovascular system when consumed in moderation. Researchers have therefore attempted to separate the polyphenol and alcoholic aspects of wine in order to isolate the beneficial component.
For example, a study published in the Journal of Nutrition in 20051, fed 44 women 36 g of grape powder drink or a placebo for 4 weeks. The grape powder consisted of 92 g of carbohydrate and was a rich source of flavans, anthocyanins, quercetin, myricetin, kaempferol and resveratrol (total polyphenols 5.8 g / kg). The placebo consisted of dextrose, fructose and colouring to create the same energy value and appearance of the grape juice. Those consuming the grape juice showed a reduction in plasma triglycerides a decrease in the activity of the cholesterol ester transfer protein, reductions in plasma LDL cholesterol, reductions in lipoproteins B and E, a decrease in tumour necrosis factor-α and decreased whole body oxidative stress. These results suggest that the polyphenols in grapes are beneficial against cardiovascular disease because of alterations in lipoprotein metabolism, oxidative stress and the inflammatory response.
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1Zern, T. L., Wood, R. J., Greene, C., West, K. L., Liu, Y., Aggarwai, D., Shachter, N. S. and Fernandez, M. L. 2005. Grape polyphenols exert a cardioprotective effect in pre- and postmenopausal women by lowering lipids and reducing oxidative stress. Journal of Nutrition. 135: 1911-1917
