The term "French Paradox" refers to the relatively low level of heart disease in French people despite their relatively high intake of saturated fats, according to a 2010 statement in "Seminars in Thrombosis and Hemostasis." This paradox may be attributed to the French population's regular consumption of wine. Drinking a light to moderate amount of wine may offer a range of heart benefits, including improvement of cholesterol levels.
"Good" vs. "Bad" Cholesterol
When too much "bad" cholesterol is in your blood, it can accumulate on your arteries' inner walls, making them narrower and harder and reducing blood flow to your heart and brain. Red wine may help reduce your risk of heart disease by boosting your levels of "good" cholesterol, according to MayoClinic.com. "Good" cholesterol, or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, helps protect you against heart attack by carrying harmful cholesterol away from your arteries and back to your liver where it can be expelled from your body.
Resveratrol
Red wine contains antioxidants, called polyphenols, which may help protect your heart. Specifically, a polyphenol called resveratrol may be the key component in red wine that helps reduce "bad" cholesterol as well as prevent the risk of blood clots and vessel damage, according to MayoClinic.com. A study published in a 2008 issue of "Nutrition Research" found that taking resveratrol may also offer heart-protective benefits such as relaxing your blood vessels, keeping your heart rhythms steady and preventing plaque from building up on your vessel walls.
Saponins
In 2003, researchers at UC Davis identified a separate group of red wine chemicals that may help reduce the risk of heart disease. While acknowledging the positive association between resveratrol and heart health, lead researcher Andrew Waterhouse, Ph.D., also found that chemicals called saponins might be equally beneficial. Saponins are compounds thought to come from the grape's waxy skin and then eventually dissolve into red wine during fermentation. In the study report, Waterhouse mentioned that saponins might help improve cholesterol levels by binding to cholesterol and preventing the body from absorbing it. The researchers also found that red wines such as red Zinfandel and Syrah have about three to 10 times more saponins than do white wines such as Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.
Alcohol
Alcohol in general -- whether or not it comes from red wine -- may increase your "good" cholesterol, reduce your risk of getting blood clots and prevent artery damage from "bad" cholesterol. A 2005 study published in the "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition" found that the alcohol might in fact be more responsible for the heart benefits than wine's nonalcoholic compounds. Researchers discovered that participants who drank the wine had higher "good" cholesterol levels and lower blood clotting factors than those who had a placebo or a red grape extract tablet. It is also possible that several beneficial molecules in red wine interact with alcohol to offer the heart-healthy benefits.
Considerations
If you don't already drink red wine, don't start a habit just to get the potential heart benefits, recommends MayoClinic.com. Drinking more than a light to moderate amount of alcohol can lead to health conditions such as liver damage, high blood pressure, heart failure and cancer, and drinking any alcohol can lead to addiction if you have an addictive personality. Avoid more than two drinks per day if you're a man and one drink per day if you're a woman. One drink equals about 4 oz. of wine.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Red Wine and Resveratrol: Good for Your Heart?
- Science Daily; New Cholesterol Fighter Found in Red Wine; 2003
- American Heart Association: Good vs. Bad Cholesterol
- "Nutrition Research"; Cardioprotective Actions of Grape Polyphenols; W. Leifert et al.; 2008
- "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Effect of Red Wine and Red Grape Extracts on....Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease; A. Hansen et al.; 2005
- "Seminars in Thrombosis and Hemostasis"; Moderate Red Wine Consumption and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Beyond the "French Paradox"; G. Lippi et al.; 2010
