subject: Anti-cancer Agents Found in Red Wine Grapes [print this page] For years medical science has pondered the French Paradox. Although the French eat more high fat foods than Americans they have significantly fewer heart problems. Fewer instances of heart attack and less atherosclerosis that doctors in the United States have blamed on eating high-fat diets.
In the 1990s a substance was isolated from the skins of red wine grapes that may hold the answer to the French Paradox. It was found that red as opposed to white grapes seemed to be more potent. Research was done to discover what substances could be responsible for protecting the hearts of the French.
Could it be the red wine, so plentiful in France that is responsible for their cardiovascular health?
What scientists found was a powerful antioxidant substance called resveratrol. Natural resveratrol has been researched in over one hundred studies and found to have a multitude of beneficial actions that protect both the heart and act as anti-cancer agents. Antioxidants protect the cells and tissues of the body by stopping the ravages of free radicals. Free radicals start chain reactions of damaging oxidative stress that has been blamed for everything from cardiovascular problems to wrinkles in the skin. Antioxidants stop these chain reactions from occurring, thus providing protection from cellular damage. Damage to the DNA inside the nucleus of the cells can lead to abnormal cell divisions, typical of cancer. Studies show resveratrol protects specifically against bladder, breast, and prostate cancers.
Natural resveratrol is found not only in the skins of red and purple grapes, but also in mulberries, peanuts, blueberries, and the common weed Japanese knotweed. Many dietary supplements use knotweed as a source for this powerful antioxidant. In addition to its antioxidant properties, natural resveratrol also has anti-inflammatory action, acts as a vasodilator, and prevents blood from clotting. All of these actions provide protection for the heart.
