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Using Altavista:
Is it also
found in raisins
S.O.
Haverhill
A. Resveratrol, a compound found in the skin of some grapes, is considered
heart healthy because it cuts cholesterol and inhibits the grouping of
platelets that can lead to blood clots, animal experiments have shown.
French scientists have reported that drinking red wine helps lower
cholesterol levels, and resveratrol is a major component of several
traditional oriental medicines. Earlier this year, scientists also reported
that resveratrol is a cancer-fighting agent. (In grapes, it helps the plant
resist fungal infections.)
Resveratrol is found in many grapes and grape products. The quantity,
though, differs among products, says Dr. Leroy Creasy, a professor of plant
science at Cornell University.
Raisins generally don't contain resveratrol. It is destroyed when the
raisins are dried in in the sun. Raisins cured indoors have some resveratrol.
Grape juice, it's purple or red, contains resveratrol. Red grape juice is
extracted in a heat process that removes color and much of the resveratrol.
Creasy's tests showed that homemade juice had the highest levels, possibly
because higher quality grapes are used for juicing. White juice, which is
cold-pressed, contains very little resveratrol.
Sip for sip, red wine generally contains more resveratrol than grape juice.
Some scientists hypothesize that alcohol in wine may help the body absorb
resveratrol.
Picking a product to get the most resveratrol is difficult because
different varieties of grapes contain different levels of resveratrol, and
some grape skins contain none at all, says Creasy. Therefore, wines contain
different levels too.
``Pinot Noir has the most, as a rule,'' says Creasy. His advice, if you
want more resveratrol in your life and like wine: Drink a variety of red
wines. But don't drink too much or you'll offset those health benefits. And if
you don't want to drink wine, you can get resveratrol from fresh grapes -- red
and white.
The resveratrol found in red wines is supposed to be healthful.
