Scientists from the University of East Anglia and Kings College London have found evidence to show that moderate drinking of wine can help strengthen the bones, and thus help prevent osteoporosis. The findings were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, and come from a study involving over one thousand pairs of female twins in the UK aged in their mid-fifties.

It is thought polyphenols found in the skin of the grapes is responsible for the positive effects. They are not contained within other alcoholic drinks, such as beer and spirits. Despite wine, particularly red wine, being linked with numerous health benefits, researchers have warned that heavy drinking will in fact have the opposite effect and could reduce bone density. The message as always is to enjoy in moderation.

The researchers carried out scans to measure the thickness of the bones of the volunteers in the hip joint, the spine and the top of the femur, which is the bone linking the thigh to the hip. The results showed wine drinkers had higher bone density in the spine and the hip than non-drinkers, or those that preferred other types of alcohol.

Osteoporosis is a bone-wasting disease which for which there is no known outright cure. Only preventative measures can be taken through a good diet and active lifestyle. It progresses when osteoclasts, cells that break down old bone by removing the calcium and phosphorous that gives it strength, start to outnumber osteoblasts, rival cells responsible for making healthy new bone.

It is now thought by many in the medical profession that milk does not help prevent osteoporosis. Vitamin D is more important than calcium in preventing fractures. And now wine by the looks of it.

When it comes to living a long life, there’s no one better in the world to learn from than those who are living the longest.

Dan Buettner, a National Geographic magazine writer and Emmy award-winning documentarian, and author of “The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who’ve Lived the Longest,” has been studying the Sardinian diet to find what it is that’s making them live longer than most people in the rest of the western world.

Sardinians drink very dark red wine (Cannonau), so dark in fact that they call it “vino nero”, which means black wine. I suppose Nero d’Avola might be the closest thing we have to it here. This combined with the mediterranean diet creates antioxidants which help keep arteries clear. Surprisingly, a particular cheese called pecorino sardo, made from the milk of grass-fed sheep, may also play a key role in this diet, largely because it is so rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Buettner also encourages us to eat a lot of nuts, fruit and vegetables, but doesn’t place a big emphasises on fish, which many of us would see as integral to the Mediterranean diet. However, eating less meat is a lesson we should take from the Sardinians. It is something that should be treated as a once-a-week celebration.

On the bread front, carta de musica is a thin, whole wheat bread high in vitamin D and leavened bread brings various vitamins and lactic acid into the diet which may compete against possibly harmful bacteria in the digestive tract. Oh, and lest not forget the fava beans, which are high in fibre and folate.

Source: ABC News

Hungarian researchers (as published in the British Journal of Nutrition) have found that daily supplements of resveratrol may improve how the human body responds to insulin, the hormone responsible for sugar and fat metabolism.

Resveratrol, found in grape skins and seeds, is touted as being one of the key health benefits of wine. Research is ongoing and this latest news points towards resveratrol being associated with reductions in insulin resistance in type-2 diabetics.

The researchers recruited 19 people with type-2 diabetes and over the space of four weeks had a proportion of the participants taking two 5mg doses of resveratrol supplements daily with the remaining receiving a placebo. The researchers concluded:

“The present study shows for the first time that resveratrol improves insulin sensitivity in humans, which might be due to a resveratrol-induced decrease in oxidative stress that leads to a more efficient insulin signalling via the Akt pathway,”

In plain English, ‘oxidative stress’ is considered one of main causes of insulin resistance. The antioxidant properties of resveratrol are helping to lower this resistance.

Back in 2003 David Sinclair and his team at Harvard University reported that resveratrol increased the life span of yeast cells. Since then research worldwide has pointed towards anti-cancer effects, cardiovascular benefits, protection against Alzheimer’s and more, giving the French Paradox more substance.

On another important health note, Australian scientists and Cancer Council Australia (CCA) stressed the importance of moderation after warning of the link between alcohol (the not so healthy component of wine) and cancer. CCA released a statement advising that it was okay to stay within official healthy drinking guidelines of two standard drinks a day. So do continue to enjoy, but do so responsibly.

Are you one of those people who can’t have a glass of wine without feeling like you’ve a bad cold or a headache? The poor sulphites always get the blame, but for most people it might not be anything to do with the sulphites. New research by scientists in the University of Southern Denmark believe the culprit may be glycoproteins. Glyco-wha?

Of the world’s population, 8% suffer from sniffles, headaches, breathing problems and everything in between after having a few sips of wine. What’s interesting is most of this 8% will blame the sulphites. Been there, right? Apparently only 1% are allergic to sulphites so the other 7% are either making it up or are being affected by these glycoproteins. That’s what the Danes are suggesting.

Dr. Giuseppe Palmisano and his colleagues analyzed a bottle of Italian Chardonnay and discovered 28 different glycoproteins. These are the sugar-coated proteins that develop during the grape fermentation process. They are also the molecules that trigger allergic reactions to substances like dust mites, ragweed and latex.

The good doctor will continue his work to try build a molecular picture of the wine components, and in doing so should be able to find which of the tiny particles need special attention. Winemakers might then be able to eliminate it during the winemaking process.

Hurrah!

French paradox, term coined in the United States in 1991 to express the infuriating fact that the French apparently eat and drink themselves silly with no apparent ill effects on their coronary health. (Jancis Robinson, The Oxford Companion to Wine, 3rd Edition, 2006)

Sales of red wine quadrupled shortly after news broke of this thesis. It is true that the French have significantly less coronary heart disease than other western countries, yet consume a diet rich in cholesterol and saturated fats. But is it true that it is the consumption of red wine that accounts for the French paradox?

It was Professor Serge Renaud’s paper, published in the British Medical Journal in 1991, that brought the theory forward, and to this day it continues to be put under the microscope. The good news is, some of the latest research, if anything, has strengthened the argument in favour of Renaud’s original paper, so we can all raise a glass to that. As the French are consuming less wine than they used to, it will be interesting to see if the current generation will suffer more from coronary heart disease than their parents and their grandparents.

Cholesterol & The French Paradox by Frank Cooper will give you a bigger picture than I ever possibly could. He not only addresses the French Paradox, but he throws some unbiased light onto subject areas such as certain allergies that wine drinkers may suffer from, the evidence showing that wine is better for you than other alcoholic beverages, and how the wine producing process can affect our health – specifically how many of the bulked, branded wines may not be as beneficial to our health as those made to the traditional European winemaking methods.

Some interesting research explored by Cooper

• At the quantities of 1-2 glasses of wine per day, the liver can generally clear the acetaldehyde (constituent of ethanol) without any problem, particularly if wine is consumed with food. Drinking adequate amounts of water is important because it helps flush the system and re-hydrates the brain tissues and cells.

• Oak may be a problem for sensitive people because it contains high levels of tannins that are the astringent component of most plants designed to repel insects and grazing animals.

• People from Europe, who have been drinking wine since 2000 years BC, have genetically adapted to ethanol alcohol. However certain populations such as those of Asian descent, and the original native people in the Americas and Australia, do not have the same genetics for the metabolism of alcohol.

Ladies, you might not have to feel quite so bad about that glass of wine after a rough day at work. A recent study carried out by researchers at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital, surveyed almost 20,000 women and asked them about their drinking habits over the course of 13 years. The alcohol-free women gained the most weight, with less weight gained by those who consumed beers or spirits, and the least gained by those who consumed red wine.

As you might expect, the authors of the research do not encourage heavy consumption of alcohol, nor do they suggest that non-drinkers should take up drinking for this reason, but they do say that the light-moderate intake of wine will help reduce weight gain in women. Light-moderate consumption would be the equivalent of one glass of wine for women per day, and 1-2 glasses for men.

It is thought that the body regulates alcohol in quite a unique way, with the liver turning it into heat as opposed to fat. Of all alcohol beverages, red wine came out with the best results, ahead of beers and spirits. The news though, doesn’t read quite as well for men. One theory suggests that women tend to substitute high carbohydrate snacks for a glass of wine, while men consume alcohol without constricting their usual eating habits.

The effect of a glass a day is ultimately in the hands of each individual, so gents, don’t be disheartened by this report. By all means enjoy that glass of wine, but if you’re trying to lose weight… put down the Yorkie!

For full story, see cbsnews.com and telegraph.co.uk

New research led by Dr Jeremy Spencer of Reading University suggests that a couple of glasses of Champagne a day are good for your heart and blood circulation. Further research is expected to see similar positive results for the less expensive alternatives, such as Cava and Prosecco.

The team found positive effects on the walls of blood vessels, helping to reduce the chance of stroke and heart disease. “Our data suggests that a daily moderate consumption of champagne wine may improve vascular performance via the delivery of phenolic constituents,” the researchers say in their paper.

Chemicals known as Polyphenols, which are also present in red wine, slow down the removal of nitrite oxide from the blood. With higher levels of nitrite oxide, vessels dilate, thus helping to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart problems and strokes.

Although Polyphenols are not found in white wine, Champagne consists of two black grape varieties, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Coca beans are also found to have high levels of Polyphenols.

See nzherald.co.nz for original article.

All wine contains sulphites (sulphur dioxide). Yes, that includes so-called “sulphite free” wine. Sulphites are a natural by-product of the fermentation process, so wines without any added sulphur can still contain anywhere from 5-40 milligrams per litre. The human body actually produces about 1 gram per day.

Sulphite is used to kill bacteria and micro-organisms. It helps prevent oxidation and prolongs the shelf life of food and drink. Fine, long ageing wines would not be possible without this natural preservative. They are completely harmless to most people, except those who have asthma or certain allergies.

You may be one of the minority who has a conflicting allergy. If you have experienced a tightness in your chest, breathing difficulties, or an almost acidic burn in your throat after drinking wine, then it is advisable to stick to sulphite free tea and crumpets.

The chances are you will ingest more sulphites from your average restaurant meal than from a glass of wine. The vast majority of wines are made with the minimal use of sulphites, and when used properly they impart no taste or smell. If anything, people should be more concerned about that other vital component of wine – alcohol!

Some super cheap wines are another concern, as poor wine making can see the excessive use of sugar, acids and tannins in an attempt to make them palatable.

Bottom line: There is no medical evidence to suggest that sulphites cause headaches. My message is simple – respect and enjoy wine in moderation, like any other alcoholic beverage. If you must over do it, get into the habit of matching a pint of water for every glass or two of wine. Before you go for bed, make yourself an isotonic drink. Get a pint glass, fill it half with water and the other half with pure orange juice. Sprinkle in a little salt, and there you have it. No sore head the next day.

It always makes us feel that little bit better when enjoying a glass of red wine. It has been proven to lower the risk of heart attack, raise your HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) and lower LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol), prevent blood clots and reduce blood vessel damage caused by fat deposits. Recent research even suggests that it protects against lung cancer, and protects men against prostate cancer.

So what’s the secret? Red wine is a particularly rich source of antioxidants flavonoid phenolics. Flavonoids exhibit antioxidant properties helping prevent blood clots and plaques formation in arteries. Resveratrol, found in grape skins and seeds, increases HDL cholesterol and also helps prevent blood clotting. OK, so if you’re still following, these things are good for your health.

It only gets more interesting when you hear that white wine is as cardioprotective as red wine. Polyphenolic antioxidants reside in the skin and seeds, so red wines will extract these properties easily because of contact with the skins during production. However, the flesh, or the pulp, of the grape is said to provide the same benefits, according to research done by the University of Connecticut School of Medicine in 2006.

Indeed, studies have shown that people from the Mediterranean who regularly drink red wine have a lower risk of heart disease. Here’s another point. Ever wonder how Ireland has one of the highest cases of heart disease in Europe, while France has one of the lowest, despite a similarly high fat diet? Could it be something to do with wine?

The problem is, too many of us like to binge on alcohol. If we consume wine in moderation, say, a glass a day with our evening meal, all the research in the world would indicate that you’ll be doing your health a favour. We just need to ensure that it doesn’t turn into an unhealthy habit by consuming too much – easier said than done I hear you say.

The Harvard Men’s Health Watch notes that men who enjoy alcohol and can drink in moderation and responsibly may benefit from a lower risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and cardiac death.

Originally posted by the same author on Look and Taste.