These days, it seems that absolutely everybody who is “anybody,” is now out there, excitedly and enthusiastically sharing the “good news” that so many of us gourmands have known for decades, that premium quality, Red Wine is not only delicious to drink, but it is actually extremely good for your health.

Study after study, report after report, from “Science Daily” to “The New York Times”, from “News Day” to “The Today Show” and from such notably substantial, renowned and respected medical monoliths as “The Mayo Clinic” to Yale – New Haven Hospital all are chiming in and joining the chorus that we gourmets have been singing for literal centuries.

In fact, it was the world’s most famous “wise man,” Plato himself, who was quoted as saying “Nothing more excellent or valuable than wine was ever granted by the Gods to man” while Jesus, one of, if not “THE” world’s most respected, revered and followed teachers of all-time turned water into wine and beseeched his followers to regularly partake of the fruit of the wine.

So what exactly have all of these “world renowned” Medical Research Institutions and Media Giants been teaching us all about red wine? Basically precisely what so many of us have known all along. That when enjoyed in moderation, not more than 2 glasses per sitting, while others teach only 2 glasses per day, it can serve as a powerful protector against everything from various forms of cancer to heart disease and from Alzheimer’s and coronary disease, to lowering our cholesterol level, stress and blood pressure.

For many centuries, people profusely pondered the perplexing paradox of the traditional “French Diet,” which is notoriously high in fats and “empty calorie” carbohydrates from pasta to bread, yet as a culture, the French have a far lower rate of heart attack, stroke and other forms of coronary disease than the rest of the world who eats “supposedly” better.

The difference being a society that freely raises its families on premium quality, small production red wines, from childhood through adulthood.

So what exactly does this “top shelf” red wine do for the human body. As it turns out, it’s all about the near miraculous healing powers of antioxidants. A powerful antioxidant that is called “Resveratrol,” as well as several other antioxidants are abundantly, naturally and organically found in red wine, due to the fact that the skin and even some varietals seeds are left in the wine during the fermentation process.

These antioxidants are extremely beneficial in preventing harmful elements in the body from attacking healthy cells in the body, thereby helping to heart disease while reducing lung tissue inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Resveratrol is also a remarkably powerful and plentiful source of “phytoestrogen” which naturally has remarkably similar properties to estrogen, the female sex hormone. Due to this similarity, “phytoestrogens” are able to help bind to estrogen receptors acting like the estrogen that is naturally produced in the body.

This serves to naturally help protect women from the adverse circumstances of low estrogen levels, by serving to minimize the effects of menopause, while simultaneously working to prevent breast cancer, osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.

Red wine also naturally contains substantial amounts of another healthy antioxidant which is a “flavanoid” known as “Catechin.” Research indicates that, along with the antioxidant “resveratrol,” the flavinoid “Catechin” plays an extremely important role in reducing the risk of heart disease. Meanwhile, “Saponins,” also found in red wine also protect against heart disease while “Guercetin” is a known as an effective inhibitor of lung cancer.

So to add it all up, red wine, when enjoyed in moderation, helps keep us free from a vast number of life threatening maladies, everything from heart attacks and strokes, to high blood pressure and cholesterol. Then, to that add its powerful effects in preventing, suppressing and healing the effects of numerous forms of cancer, from colon, breast and prostate cancer to melanoma and leukemia.

Wow, I think I’m going to open up a nice bottle of one of my favorite fragrant and flavorful Cabernets, or perhaps a lush a fruity Pinot Noir or maybe even a mesmerizing and alluringly aromatic Chardonnay, Hmmmm, they all sound so good, dare I risk moderation and happily imbibe a glass of each.

One never really knows, does one?

Cheers my friend!

Signing off at Pigging out!
Rocco “Boss Hog” Loosbrock

Apparently, both the alcohol content itself, as well as the naturally occurring “phyto-chemicals” or organic plant compounds, found in wine, have been clinically proven to reduce the risk of various forms of heart disease and cancer, as well as effectively slow the progression of numerous neurological and degenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease.

However, too much of a good thing can potentially turn a delicious, life enhancing and sustaining celestial elixir into something a little more like danger, so over-drinking the fruit of the vine can prove to be detrimental to both your health and safety.

As with anything wonderful in life, “All Things Within Measure Should Be The Motto Of The Day, as alcohol abuse is a complex, slippery slope that can sneak up on those who use their “vino” to escape problems and mask feelings.

Basically, as a general rule of thumb, two glasses per day seems to be the optimum number to aim for, without having to pull out the calculator and mathematically take into account factors like body weight, how much you’ve eaten before drinking, your metabolism, etc.

Also keep in mind that we are talking about the traditional sized 5 to 6 oz. wine glasses when we speak of a drink, not 12 to 16 oz. glass.

For years, medical researchers have documented that moderate amounts of alcohol can be very helpful in raising your HDL (Good Cholesterol) while naturally thinning your blood, thereby, helping to lower your blood pressure.

Meanwhile, naturally occurring, organic “phytochemicals” that are found in wine, such as flavanoids and resveratrol, act as powerful antioxidants and prevent molecules known as “free radicals” from causing dangerous cellular damage in the body.

Resveratrol has also been shown to prevent blood clotting and plaque formation in arteries by altering one’s lipid profiles and plasma viscosity. Resveratrol also produces extremely potent anti-thrombotic agents that can potentially improve cardiovascular health and lower the risk for coronary heart disease and in some studies, successfully helped to reduce tumor incidence and hindering the body’s development of cancer.

Because the skins are left on the grapes during the fermentation process, red wines will naturally contain more Resveratrol than white wines. Also, when comparing “red to red” and “white to white,” those wines produced in cooler climates will naturally have more resveratrol than wines from warmer climates. Therefore, those red wines hailing from cool climates will quite logically have the most resveratrol.

Signing off at Pigging out!
Rocco “Boss Hog” Loosbrock