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Question:
I heard a nutritionist talking about red wine and the "French paradox." Can you tell me what this term is used to describe and what does it have to do with red wine?
Answer:
Here is the paradox - the French consume more saturated fat than Americans, yet have a lower incidence of heart disease. Many experts suspect that the French are less vulnerable to heart disease because they consume more red wine. Presumably the protective effect is the result of the flavonoids in red wine, which protect against oxidative damage from LDL cholesterol.
Grape juice also contains flavonoids and may offer similar protection to red wine. However, a recent human study indicated that grape juice does not provide any significant protection against damage to LDL. In addition, the study also showed that consumption of white wine actually increased LDL oxidation. Red wine contains mainly single molecules of flavonoids (primarily quercetin). In contrast, grape juice flavonoids are usually complexed with other flavonoids and are bound to various sugars that may reduce bioavailability. Also, the flavonoid content in white wine is significantly lower than red wine.
One or two glasses of red wine per day appear to be good prescription for a healthy heart. If you do not tolerate alcohol or prefer not to drink it, don't worry. You can use vitamin C and E instead. Studies have found that vitamins C and E appear to offer even greater protection than either red or white wine.
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