Resveratrol

You may or may not have even heard of resveratrol, but it is a naturally occurring plant derivative that is produced when the plant is being attacked by pathogens including fungi and bacteria.

It is a phytoalexin which helps defend the plant. Additionally, it is sold as a nutritional supplement for people, usually derived from the Japanese knotweed.

Generally speaking, it has been found to act as an anti-inflammatory, anticancer agent, lower the blood sugar, and help the cardiovascular system.

Though studies on the benefits of it on the human body are ongoing, it has become a widely used supplement for people throughout the world.

In the early 1990s, it exploded in the press and the health world with the suggestion that it is beneficial to the cardiovascular system.

Part of the controversy was that the benefits to the body came from drinking wine, as it is commonly found in the skin of grapes, namely muscadine grapes, which are used for making wine. The compound is also found in the grape seeds.

The amount of it found in wine will vary based on a multitude of factors ranging from the actual amount found in the grape skins to the grape cultivator, the geographic location of the grapevine, and the exposure, if any, to fungal infection. The amount of time the wine ferments is also an influencing factor in how much it will be present. However, typically red wine will contain 0.2 to 5.8 mg/L of resveratrol and white wine will have even less (it is fermented without the skins whereas red wine retains the skins.)

Grapes are not the only source of it. It is also found in the mulberry, which is widely sold as a supplement offering the benefits of resveratrol. Additionally, it is found in spruce, lily, peanuts, and eucalyptus.

Because wine is the most commonly consumed source of it, many studies have been done to uncover the true effects it has on the cardiovascular system. It has been suggested that drinking red wine may reduce the instance of coronary heart disease in both men and women. This is generally attributed to the resveratrol content within the wine. The lipid peroxidation of low density lipoprotein (LDL) is inhibited which prevents the toxicity of oxidized LDL due to free radicals within the body. It has been shown that this antioxidant property is much more effective than that of vitamins E and C. Atherosclerosis may also be prevented by a diet supplemented with it.

Though there is no conclusive evidence, it is also thought that it can help prevent cancer. As it has antioxidant properties, it does inhibit free radical formation and attacks, which often lead to cancer. Currently, several studies are being conducted to further investigate resveratrol’s inhibition, prevention, and curing levels of cancer.

The bottom line is that it is a benefit to the body. It helps prevent and reduce cardiovascular disease and has been shown to have positive effects on cancer and cancer prevention. You may get a sufficient amount of it from drinking red wine, grape juice, and eating grapes (or the other fruits mentioned previously).