Wine and Grape Juice

All natural 100% grape juice, according to dietary guidelines, is considered a serving of fruit. If we drank red wine would that also qualify?

The U.S. Dietary Guidelines considers table wine an alcoholic beverage. This puts it in the "extras" category along with solid fats and added sugars. Sorry, red wine is not a food group.

Here's the scoop on grape juice and red wine. Yes, drink grape juice, but again in moderation. It does have residual sugar which for some should be avoided.


However, there are some benefits in grape juice made from Concord grapes. Concord grapes contain many of the polyphenols that are in red wine. Studies have shown that large amounts of red grape juice decrease the stickiness in the blood which would help to lower the risk of heart disease.

Sounds positive, but how much grape juice should we drink? The studies never say how much. Though the studies do reveal that the effects of the grape juice are much lower than those of red wine. Sounds like a lot of wine drinking . . . not good, no way, call the doctor!

Oh, I shouldn't be flippant about this subject. It's just that these studies come out every few months with new statistics. All that does is confuse us.

What we need to remember is no matter what we do, what we eat, or what we drink, it should all be done with moderation.

If you think about it, we hear a lot about exercise being good for us. It keeps us healthy in more ways than one. But if we overdo our exercising we end up with sore joints, aching backs, and other ailments from over-taxing our bodies.

So just remember to listen to your doctor and only eat and drink what is recommended for your total health. If alcohol is not on the recommended list then grape juice may be a better choice.

Stay healthy, and if you are allowed alcohol then by all means have one 4 ounce glass of red wine with dinner. Choose a Pinot Noir which is said to contain the most resveratrol.

Why Pinot Noir? you say. The pinot noir grapes thrive in warm, damp climates which encourage mold and yeast that destroy plant life. Plants growing in this humid climate produce increased amounts of resveratrol, almost like a natural defense mechanism. The resveratrol fights against the damages from the growing fungus. It is this natural process that scientists have discovered resveratrol to have the antioxidant properties that also benefit the human body.

There are a few red wines with higher levels of resveratrol than others. Look for grapes that are grown in similar climates as the pinot noir grape, or grapes grown in cooler but damp climates.

Be Healthy!


Salute!
Winelady Cooks