An Alternative Method of Obtaining the Antioxidant Value of Red Wine

It seems that every month or two a new report touts the benefits of drinking red wine, so it is little wonder that non-drinkers have started to ask if there are any heart-healthy red wine alternatives. The good news is that there are!

Red Wine Benefits
It has been almost twenty years since research studies reported what came to be known as “the French paradox.”  At that time, a report suggested that one of the reasons the French had healthier hearts than people in other countries was because of their daily consumption of red wine. As you might expect, any connection between alcohol consumption and health was greeted with much public enthusiasm.

Since then, there have been numerous studies which have tried to determine if components in red wine do indeed produce such benefits, and if so, why?  Initial research concentrated on the alcoholic compounds as the factors contributing to this phenomenon, but it was not until scientists started to look at the non-alcoholic substances found in red wine that progress was made.

Almost a decade later, in 1999, a research study concluded that resveratrol, a polyphenol or antioxidant, helped to prevent certain types of cancer. Suddenly, resveratrol became the subject of all manner of research studies; with the result that study after study has appeared to corroborate the correlation between this powerful antioxidant and a reduced risk of heart disease.

Resveratrol is one of the primary non-alcoholic compounds in red wine. Further experiments confirmed that, in addition to resveratrol, the flavonoids, anthrocyans (colors in grapes), and phenolic acids in red wine all combine to promote heart health. These substances aid in the prevention of cancer and diseases which have inflammatory components.

Is a Red Wine Alternative a Good Option?
All of these discoveries are good news for health-conscious individuals and those who own red wine vineyards, but what about those people who, for various reasons, do not consume any amount of alcohol? For some, it is an inability to effectively metabolize alcohol, while for others, it is a matter of taste, and many cite religious reasons for abstaining, while others do not enjoy the sensations associated with inebriation.

The answer is that grapes have many uses other than simply providing the basis for developing wines, so a red wine alternative is easy to find. Grape juice, grape skins and grape seed all have varying amounts of resveratrol, and other polyphenols and antioxidants. These grape nutrients work to prevent cell damage which is caused by the oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol. This damage leads to artery blockage–atherosclerosis–otherwise known as hardening of the arteries, a major cause of heart attacks. Other positive effects include the protection of blood vessels, prevention of blood clots and abnormal heart rhythms.

The fact that many grape products can be used as red wine alternatives is excellent news for those  who do not wish to consume alcoholic beverages, and this finding has been corroborated by numerous studies.  In fact, there are indications that the antioxidants in grape juice may possess greater health benefits than those found in red wine.

For instance, while both red wine and grape juice prevent blood clots, the amount of wine required to be consumed to obtain this benefit is sufficiently high that most individuals would be deemed to be legally intoxicated. Furthermore, grape juice, a red wine alternative, appears to provide greater benefits to the linings of blood vessels than red wine. An additional factor to bear in mind is that alcohol releases its own form of free radicals, which can actually damage the blood vessels. More research is underway to see if this damage is substantial enough to actually cancel out the benefits of consuming red wine.

Other Reasons to Seek Alternatives
If you would rather drink grape juice than alcohol you will find other positives as well. A red wine alternative stays in the body longer than alcohol, providing more time to produce the beneficial effects. One example is the antioxidant, catechin, which remains in the bloodstream much longer after drinking grape juice than after drinking alcohol, furthering the conclusion that alcohol causes these health-promoting antioxidants to break down faster in the blood. On the other side of the equation, alcohol increases the amounts of HDL, or good cholesterol in the blood.

Still, refrain from simply purchasing grapes under the assumption that one can reap the benefits of this antioxidant giant. There are very specific requirements to deriving the benefit from a red wine alternative. Quite literally, the heart benefits only apply to drinking purple grape juice. Neither red nor white grapes, nor their juices have the large amount of antioxidants found in purple grapes. Furthermore, many of the largest concentrations of antioxidants are found in the simultaneous crushing of seeds, skin and flesh. Indeed, the seeds appear to contain the largest amount of antioxidants.

So, if you hesitate to drink red wine, a glass of purple grape juice for breakfast or lunch may provide the necessary benefits. Those individuals with blood sugar issues, such as type 2 diabetics, can reap the benefits without too much sugar if they buy their grape juice with no added sugars. A better alternative, however, might be an antioxidant complex which contains concentrated resveratrol extract.  Indeed, studies indicate that resveratrol may profoundly inhibit glucose uptake in HL-60 and U937 cells, hence, resveratrol may prevent or abate metabolic disorders such as obesity and non-insulin dependent diabetes (i.e., type 2).

Antioxidant Research Continues
While there are questions left unanswered about the specifics of red wine, grape juice, and resveratrol supplements, there seems to be at least some headway being made. Due to the profound potential of this powerful antioxidant, including enhanced health of the heart, impact upon metabolic disorders, reducing skin-cancer tumors by up to 98% and actually stopping the production of certain leukemia cells, increasing numbers of research studies are being conducted to further determine the best manner in which to obtain these remarkable benefits.

So, the next time a friend asks you over for a glass of red wine, ask for a glass of purple grape juice or accept the glass and with a side of antioxidant supplements.

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