Health Benefits of Red Wine
In the last eight years or so, there's been a lot of research on the possible beneficial effects of the antioxidants in red wine. 
These potential and very positive side effects, include reducing the production of "bad" LDL cholesterol, and increasing the "good" cholesterol, HDL, as well as reducing blood clotting—all of which help reduce the risk of heart disease. Most of the benefits seems to be very much a side effect of the flavonoids and other antioxidants in red wine. Here's a quick rundown of the current research into some additional potential benefits of moderate red wine consumption.
UCLA researchers studying the effects of polyphenols, compounds which naturally occur in red wines, discovered in animal studies that the polyphenols appear to inhibit the development of the proteins that create the plaques associated with Alzheimer's damaging effects on the brain. Human clinical trials are scheduled to take place next. The study was published in the November 2008 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
Other researchers at UCLA examined the overall protective effects of alcohol, and discovered those who were light to moderate drinkers of alcohol in general good health for their age had a lower risk of developing new disabilities over the duration of the five year study. Moderate alcohol consumption (not isolated to red wine) also appears to assist in increasing our omega-3 fatty acid levels (without increasing the consumption of cold water fish, the usual source for omega-3s), which in turn protect against heart disease. The European researchers theorize that polyphenols may be at work here as well. The study was published in January of 2008, in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
There's some evidence that red wine consumption may decrease male lung cancer risk. The study, published in the October 2008 issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, indicated that for each glass of red wine consumed in a month, there was a correlation with a 2% lower risk of lung cancer. In other words, men who drank one or two glasses of red wine a day experienced a 60% reduction in their lung cancer risk. The benefits are only associated with red wine, and of course the benefits are not the same for smokers.
While scientists and researchers usually attribute the efficacy of red wine to antioxidants, we do know a little bit more about it than that. One of the primary compounds in red wine is resveratrol, a natural component of grapes, pomegranates, red wine and other foods. One of the side effects of resveratrol appears to be natural calorie restriction. In a study where mice were given low doses of resveratrol, they showed every positive sign of having a diet reduced in total calories by 20 or 30%— without actually having had their diet changed. A reduced calorie diet is already known to extend individual's potential lifespan and reduce the effects of aging.
There's some research suggesting that resveratrol is particularly effective in attacking and disabling the "batteries" of pancreatic cancer cells, by crippling the mitochondria of cancerous cells. At the same time, the resveratrol seems to actively protect healthy, normal cells. The Rochester study's results were published in the March 2008 issue of Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, but there's a summary here. Additional research suggests that resveratrol is also effective as a potential general anti-cancer agent.
The protective effects of resveratrol may be responsible for the so-called "French paradox," in which people who live in parts of France where the typical diet is rich with saturated fats, but where the incidence of heart disease is strikingly lower than in the U.S. may in fact be protected by the traditional habit of red wine with dinner. However, it's important to note that the researchers almost unanimously say if you're not already drinking red wine, this is not a reason to go out and binge. They also note that the positive effects are all derived from red wine "in moderation." What "in moderation" means is a little trickier; one source suggests moderation means one glass of red wine for women, and one or two glasses for men in the U. S. but in the United Kingdom, and the European Union, "moderation" translates to two to three glasses of red wine per day for women, and three to four for men.
Another interesting thing to keep in mind as you shop for a bottle of red to go with your dinner, is that research indicates that not all red wines are alike. University of California at Davis researchers carefully measured the flavonoids in a variety of red wines and concluded that Cabernet Sauvignon is your best bet, followed by Petit Syrah and Pinot Noir. Merlots and Red Zinfandel scored poorly in terms of the flavonoids, and white wine poorer still. In general, the dryer the wine, the higher the number of flavonoids, and the sweeter, the fewer. Scottish scientist Dr. Alan Crozier from Glasgow University in a comparative study of 65 red wines, determined that Chilean wines, produced in a warm dry climate where grapes can mature fully before harvest, have much higher concentrates of flavonoids than wines from elsewhere, particularly praised Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as Merlots and Pinot Noirs.
