As someone who drinks white wine (I’ve been told that the Italian Pinot Grigios don’t cause reflux), I’m sick of my dinner friends telling me red is healthier. So when I saw that the “evidence is mixed” on whether red “holds the year-round advantage when it comes to good health”* in The New York Times Health section, I, of course, had to post it.
Here’s the gist … (To read this article in its entirety, click here.)“Many studies have shown that red wine has healthful compounds that are less abundant in white, including resveratrol, the heart-healthy substance derived from grape skins. Because white wine is produced with limited exposure to the skin, it contains lower levels of resveratrol, not to mention flavonoids, antioxidants, and the bitter-tasting tannins that are also linked to cardiovascular health …
… few epidemiological studies have compared white to red. And of those that have, some have demonstrated an advantage for red, while others have not. And still others have indicated that the drinkers of red and white are too different to compare. One study, found that red drinkers had a significantly lower risk of colon cancer than white drinkers, but the researchers later explained that among other things, the white drinkers were also more likely to smoke, which could have made the difference.
I raise my glass to you, my fellow wine drinkers …
Harriett@snoety.com
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* The New York Times, Health, “Really? The Claim: Red wine is better for you than white,“pg D5, by Anahad O’Connor, Tuesday, July 21, 2009
