We are in 2023 and that recommendation to take a glass of wine a day, qualifying it as beneficial for health. Despite the scientific evidence against himthis has remained entrenched and well tied to this day.
“Having a glass of wine a day is better than having five, of course, but it is not better than having none. The few benefits that wine can have can be obtained with other foods without having the harmful effects of alcohol”, says Concepción Martínez, dietitian-nutritionist.
The most recent studies warn that this alcoholic beverage does not extend life expectancy, quite the contrary. A report from the European Commission at the beginning of 2022 warned of the risks of suffering bowel and laryngeal cancer by drinking alcohol frequently. This put the wine, cava and beer industries on a war footing, although the report reveals that more than 10% of people who consume alcohol suffer from this type of cancer.
Other investigations, such as published in the magazine Molecular Psychiatry, points out that drinking more than five large glasses of wine a week is enough to damage DNA and accelerate premature aging. The reason is that alcohol affects telomeres, the length of which is associated with longevity. During the process of shortening them, due to the passage of time or as an effect of prolonged alcohol consumption, the risk of suffering from cancer or developing Alzheimer’s increases.
So, where does the good reputation of wine come from? This drink, in addition to alcohol, contains antioxidants and resveratrol, which may protect against heart disease and certain types of cancer. “The amount of resveratrol that wine contains is negligible compared to the alcohol concentration, so it will always be healthier to obtain this nutrient by other means,” adds Martínez. Although red wine is often cited as a popular source of resveratrol, there are several ways to obtain this substance without actually drinking wine.
Grapes and their juice
Grape juice is one of the richest sources of resveratrol, and it has been suggested that its consumption may provide some of the same health benefits associated with moderate consumption of red wine. The resveratrol content in grape juice can vary 50 to 100 micrograms per 100 grams of grapes. By comparison, a 150ml glass of red wine can contain between 90 and 300 micrograms of resveratrol, depending on the grape variety used and how the wine was made.
In addition, the amount of resveratrol in grape juice can vary depending on several factors, including the variety of this fruit, the method of extraction and processing of the juice, as well as its ripeness. The reason why grape juice contains a lower concentration of resveratrol than red wine is that most of this substance It is found in the skin and seeds of this foodwhich are not used in the preparation of the juice.
berries
The resveratrol content in berries can also vary depending on the type of berry, its degree of ripeness, and other factors such as the method of cultivation and harvest. The blueberries contain between 1.35 and 5.1 micrograms of resveratrol per gram. The blackberriesfor their part, contain about 0.1 micrograms of resveratrol per gram, while strawberries contain about 0.05 micrograms per gram. It can also be found in other berries, such as raspberries waves currants.
Although berries do not contain as much resveratrol as red wine, consuming berries may be a healthy way to increase your intake of antioxidants and other important nutrients. In addition, they are rich in fiber and vitamins, which makes them a good option for a balanced and healthy diet.
peanuts
Although peanuts and peanut butter are sources of resveratrol, their content of this compound can vary depending on several factors, such as the variety of peanut, where they were grown, the production process, and storage.
In general, peanuts raw contain about 1.1 micrograms of resveratrol per gram of peanuts, while roasted peanuts can contain between 0.1 and 4.5 micrograms per gram. For its part, peanut butter can contain between 0.04 and 0.13 micrograms of resveratrol per gram.
It should be noted that peanuts and peanut butter are not the richest sources of resveratrol, but would rank behind foods like blueberries and red grapes. However, they have other important nutrients such as protein, healthy fats and fiberso they can be part of a healthy diet in moderate amounts.
Soy
Soy is the food that contains the least resveratrol. However, it must be taken into account that products derived from soybeans are the main dietary source of isoflavonesan antioxidant with a structure similar to estradiol, a female sex hormone linked to the prevention of breast and prostate cancer.
