THE HEALTH VALUE OF RED WINE

The suspected health benefits of red wine may be exaggerated. New research shows that resveratrol—an antioxidant found in grape skins, certain berries, and dark chocolate—may not be responsible for the comparatively low rates of heart disease and cancer in many European communities where red wine is heavily consumed. The study tracked 783 men and women aged 65 and older from two villages in Chianti, Italy. The participants followed no prescribed eating plan, but red wine is a significant part of the local diet. Urine analyses at the study’s outset established base levels of resveratrol for each individual, and testing continued throughout the research period, which ran from 1998 to 2009. In that time, 34 percent of participants died—an expected number given the age of the group. But urinary resveratrol levels in those who lived were no higher or lower than those of the deceased. Resveratrol levels also had no measurable impact on whether particpants developed cancer or heart disease. “The thinking was that certain foods are good for you because they contain resveratrol,” Johns Hopkins researcher Richard Semba tells ScienceDaily​.com. “We didn’t find that at all.” Researchers suggested that Americans who’ve spent $30 million on resveratrol supplements are wasting their money.