It appears that red wine is better than white when it comes to lowering cholesterol, according to the latest research at the University of California, Davis, and Harvard. There are particular brands of red wines cited as cholesterol fighters in tests, but they are not the only kinds because not all of them have been tested. Chemicals in the red wines have advantages to lower cholesterol levels. It may also have to do with the amount of alcohol in the red wines and where they are from, but research is continuing.
Red Zinfandel
Red Zinfandel wine contained the highest levels of saponins in a study done by scientists at the University of California, Davis, and reported at the American Chemical Society in 2003. They discovered that saponins, glucose-based plant compounds, may bind to and prevent the absorption of cholesterol. Syrah or Shiraz had the second highest saponin levels. Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon followed with about the same levels. White wines tested, Sauvignon blanc and Chardonnay, had saponins, but much less. These were the only wines tested in the study. Red Zinfandel also had the highest level of alcohol, about 16 percent, making researchers believe alcohol makes the saponins more soluble in wine.
Pinot Noir
Resveratrol, a chemical in red wine, is believed to play a major role in lowering cholesterol. A study done by Harvard researchers, and reported in a 2003 issue of Nature, found that resveratrol extended the lives of lab rats by 30 to 50 percent. Resveratrol is found on grape skins, which are removed when fermenting white wines. Red wines may also lose the resveratrol in products that are filtered to remove other chemicals for better taste. Cornell researcher Leroy Creasy found that the highest resveratrol concentrations were in Pinot Noir grapes that are grown in cool, rainy locations, including the Finger Lakes region in upstate New York and Willamette Valley in Oregon, according to U.S. News & World Report. The Pinot Noir grape is also grown in the Burgundy region of France. The researcher recommended Pinot Noir wines from humid climates that are not filtered.
Red Varieties
You can't go wrong with your choice of red wines. Research indicates that red wines contain chemicals called flavonoids that lower cholesterol. The flavonoids may prevent the buildup of cholesterol in the artery walls by neutralizing the effects of free radicals that damage the arteries. A 2001 study at Coronary Artery Thrombosis Research and Prevention Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin Medical School gave rabbits red wine, light beer and hard liquor. Red wine was the only beverage to reduce the development of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, according to the wineloverspage.com. Red wine contains 10 times as many flavonoids as white wine. Flavonoids and resveratrol in red wines were found to lower total cholesterol levels in a 2000 lab study by researchers in Brno, Czech Republic, reports the National Center for Biotechnology Information.
