Are Red Wine, Chocolate and Grapes Good for You?

#a world that works for everyone

Does reading about healthy eating ever seem confusing? 

Red wine, chocolate and grapes are foods that are said to help us look younger, stave off aging and prevent heart disease. True or false? Resveratrol-a phytonutritent in red wine, dark chocolate,  grapes, berries, various herbs and peanuts has been associated with increased longevity and reduced rates of cancer and heart disease.1 Yet a recent study declared that consuming resveratrol  has little or no benefit in preventing heart disease, reducing the rate of cancer or preventing strokes.2

Evaluating a single nutrient’s benefit is challenging when subjects in the test pool are not following the same strictly controlled diet ….I believe  the jury is still out on possible benefits of resveratrol.

What's the real story? 

All natural foods contain phytonutrients which enhance our body’s ability to neutralize toxic chemicals called “free radicals” that promote aging and fermentation  and increase the build up of artery clogging plaque.3

Rather than focusing on one phytonutrient like reseveratrol. Let’s take a look at the other benefits of these foods……

What's so great about grapes? 

Grapes and grape juice contain abundant levels of Vitamins C & A, B vitamins and folic acid and the minerals manganese, potassium, copper, zinc, calcium, phosphorus, iron and selenium.

These nutrients can reduce high blood pressure, boost your immune response and help with depression and maintain healthy blood. Nitric oxide in grapes helps to prevent plaque formation in the arteries and reducing blood clots and inflammation in the cardiovascular system. Saponin another compound in grapes  helps to improves cholesterol levels and reduces inflammation in heart disease. A surprising benefit of grapes is that they have unusual antimicrobial properties that can neutralize negative bacteria in the stomach and intestines like E. coli, Salmonella and H. pylori.

What about red wine?

To a lesser extent wine has the same benefits as eating fresh grapes. Wine helps many people feel relaxed and happy which also relaxes the cardiovascular system. It can get tricky when people feel  like they need to have alcohol in large quantities or on a daily basis. No matter how many phytonutrients we find in red wine- too much alcohol can play havoc with healthy blood sugar metabolism and lead to addiction problems.

Is chocolate really that cool? 

Many studies have indicated that dark chocolate can lower the rate of heart disease and even reduce the risk of any disease.

At first the phytonuteint-flavonol was considered to be responsible for these benefits but new research has found an unlikely cause for chocolate’s health building effects.

Fiber not flavonols:

Natural, raw unsweetened cocoa is not easily digested. As it passes into the stomach and small intestines it interacts with our healthy intestinal bacteria and produces an anti-inflammatory response. As the cocoa fiber comes in contact with our naturally occurring intestinal bacteria  a natural fermentation process begins which releases compounds that break down cholesterol and improve our blood lipid levels.

Our very healthy intestinal bacteria –called lactobacillus responds to the cocoa fiber with a dramatic increase in it's numbers. This enhances our overall immune response. When our healthy bacteria levels are high they can decrease the presence and number of potentially negative disease producing bacteria that also live in the gut.

Say what? That’s right -pure natural unsweetened cocoa without sugar, extra fat or enhanced flavorings improves our immune response, lowers cholesterol and reduces inflammation in the body. 4

Sadly the delicious chocolate we all know and love is high in fat and sugar with extra flavorings. None of the things that make it taste so good increase these desirable health benefits.

In the same way that modest amounts of red wine  can help people feel happy and more relaxed eating modest amounts of chocolate can produce similar effects and when people feel happy and relaxed it improves cardiovascular health makes and makes us feel good.

Can you learn to like unsweetened cocoa nibs mixed into your breakfast cereal or your green salad? What about eating 4-5 ozs of grapes so that you get the added benefit of the  fiber and increased antioxidants instead of drinking a small glass of red wine.

I did ask Siri what she thinks.  Are red wine, chocolate and grapes good for me?

Siri said: 

“Please stop pairing red wind and chocolate…dry red wine and chocolate do not go well together. …

Resveratrol found in red wine , chocolate and grapes may not improve your health…..

Chocolate covered grape truffles will definitely make a spectacular finish to any meal……..” 

Oh dear even Siri isn't sure about this.....

What about just eating more fruits and vegetables? 

Yes- healthy amounts of fruits and vegetables reduce the risk of strokes In a deep analysis of 20 studies published in the past 19 years  which evaluated  760,629 people  and 16,981 strokes it was established that stroke risk decreased by 32% with every 200 grams /1 cup of fruit consumed each day and there was an 11% decrease with every 200 grams/1 cup of vegetables eaten each day.5

All I’m saying is -If you want to eat chocolate and red wine think about having them with some grapes or water cress or spinach, chard, apples, strawberries, banana, papaya etc. These fruits and vegetables are also very high in the health protecting phytonutrients.

I enjoy hearing about your healing adventures and respond to all communication so let me hear from you by posting your comments or emailing me direct.

References:

1.  Diets Rich in Resveratrol Fail to Reduce Death, Heart Disease or Cancer

2.  Red Wine, Antioxidants and Resveratrol-Good for Your Heart?

3. Phytonutrient Intake by Adults in the US

4. Gut Bacteria Play a Role in Why Dark Chocolate Is So Good for You

5.Fruits and Vegetables Consumption and Risk of Stroke

You might also enjoy: What Does Healing Mean?

                                   Super Foods-Fantastic Foods to Heal Naturally

Pain, Inflamation, Diabetes?----Try Turmeric

“Time is an herb that cures all Diseases.”

 Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) Poor Richard's Almanac

Ben Franklin was thinking more about the passage of time than natural healing when he wrote this quote. Yet there is a spice that does as least as well as the passage of time, a spice that is able to help with so many diseases: turmeric.

Turmeric is a member of the ginger family and is known as a sacred herb with remarkable healing properties since its first mention in the Atharvaveda 6000 years ago. Today, India’s Ayurvedic healers consider it to be a profoundly balancing and deeply purifying spice.

A World Wide Healing Tradition

From Hawaii to the rain forests of Central & South America, in China, Africa, Jamaica, Japan, Thailand and South East Asia-turmeric has been used as a valuable traded good for dyeing cloth, flavoring food and as a soil building crop.  Healers applied it to the body for itching, skin ulcers & wounds as well as to keep the skin youthful looking. It has been consumed for headaches, inflammation, weight loss, jaundice, fluid retention, diarrhea, eye conditions, ringworm, fertility issues, flatulence, colic, colds and fevers, parasites, leprosy, cancer and respiratory problems, as a children's remedy and to ease childbirth.

Today its use is widespread and now includes treatment for cataracts, liver diseases, atherosclerosis, Crohn’s disease and cystic fibrosis. Numerous studies have confirmed it’s value as a potential therapy for Alzheimer’s disease and cancer.1 

Turmeric Is Unique

Turmeric blocks the inflammatory enzymes that produce pain, swelling and inflammation as effectively as today’s hydrocortisone. It can actually slow the brain changes of early Alzheimer’s disease. As it moves through the blood stream turmeric normalizes insulin levels in type 2 diabetes and helps to balance blood lipids.2

Turmeric is rich in antioxidants. It is a good source of vitamin C, magnesium, fiber, vitamin B6, iron, potassium and manganese. Combining turmeric with black pepper, ginger or garlic enriches it’s ability to support your immune system and reduce inflammation.

Start Out With a Great Curry

Indian curries flavored with turmeric, ginger, black pepper and other spices are delicious and can be a fun way to enjoy turmeric. By itself it can taste a little bitter if you are not used to it.  

At home - you can  use also use turmeric for musculoskeletal  pain, feeling run down or to soothe your digestive system. It is considered very safe but if you are taking any prescription medication check with your MD before you try turmeric. Also its brilliant yellow color can stain your clothes so be careful with it.

How Much Turmeric to Use?

Drink  1-2 cups of Turmeric tea a day-it’s similar to chai in flavor but does not contain any caffeine.  Or you can use 400 mg of powdered turmeric in capsule 3 times a day. These two tea recipes are wonderful:

Anti-Inflammatory Turmeric Tea

From littlefig.wordpress.com/2012/06/25/anti-inflammatory-turmeric-tea/‎

32 ozs boiling water

½ Tbsp turmeric powder or 1 thumb size piece of grated turmeric root

1 handful of cilantro chopped

1 clove of garlic peeled and crushed

1TBSP olive oil

2 lemons juiced

5 peppercorns whole

10 drops stevia or 1 2/2 TBSP raw honey

Cayenne pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in boiling water and let steep for 10 minutes then strain and enjoy. 

Turmeric Tea

1 cup almond milk, rice milk or Silk Coconut drink

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp turmeric powdered

¼ tsp powdered ginger

1 tsp honey or a few drops of stevia

Whisk the powdered ingredients thoroughly into to your liquid. Bring  it almost to a boiling point- then turn off flame and let steep for 2 minutes. Strain and enjoy. 

So whether you try a healthful Indian meal, add turmeric to your cooking or drink some turmeric tea….  I invite you to check this out for yourself.  Give it a try for a few weeks I‘d love to hear about your experiences.

References:

1.James A. (Jim) Duke.“The Garden Pharmacy:Turmeric, the Queen of COX-2 Inhibitors: Alternative and Complementary Therapies. October 2007, 13(5): 229-234. doi:10.1089/act.2007.13503.

2.Skulas-Ray AC, et al "A high antioxidant spice blend attenuates postprandial insulin and triglyceride responses and increases some plasma measures of antioxidant activity in healthy, overweight men" J Nutrition 2011; DOI: 10.3945/jn.111.138966.

 

Nutrition and Your Brain

Think of your brain as a tree full of luxurious leaves that never drop unless the tree becomes diseased or malnourished.  As problems with memory, focus and  the ability to think clearly  develop- the health of this tree is diminishing  and the leaves begin to fall. By the time a person has dementia, Alzheimer’s or is suffering from cognitive impairment  there are almost  no leaves left  and  it becomes difficult  to nourish the tree so that it can hold onto it’s remaining  leaves or regrow more.

Around the world the leaves are falling off everyone’s tree-more than 24.3 million people have age related dementia.  20 million people struggle with problems of memory, focus and the ability to think clearly.  80% of the people who struggle with memory and focus problems go on to develop Alzheimer’s  disease.

Everything Influences How We Feel

Everything that we eat, drink, breathe and touch influences how we feel and how healthy we are. Eating  a diet rich in  vegetables, fruits, whole grains and clean burning proteins  signals  our cells to produce healthy cell growth, repair our DNA, regulate our hormones and metabolism and sustain a healthy brain.  White flour and sugar, high fat foods, artificial colors and sweeteners, fast foods etc  create an inflammatory response in the body  which promotes  metabolic imbalance and disease which rapidly age the brain and makes the leaves fall quickly.

We are all biochemically unique and there is not a universal food plan that will work for everyone however there are a few simple things that you can do right now to jump start your body’s ability to heal itself and protect  your brain and thinking powers.

Send Health Signals To Your Body

A modified Mediterranean diet has been proven to reduce inflammation and send the healthy signals to our bodies and brain so that disease and aging are reduced and healthy brain function is protected.  The antioxidant effects from fresh vegetables and fruit has a beneficial effect on the brain and helps prevent dementia and  Alzheimer’s disease. 

You can help yourself now by drinking ½ cup of fresh vegetable and fruit juice 3 times a week.  Learn how to balance your clean protein & carbohydrates foods with modest amounts of healthy fat and  generous portions  of fresh vegetables and some fruit.

You will feel better, have more energy and think more clearly and at the same time ensure that the leaves on the tree inside your brain stay lush, green and plentiful.