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Now red wine is even better!
By Chris Millar, Evening Standard Last updated at 00:00am on 08.01.04
Drop of goodness: health benefits from red wine
For wine lovers everywhere there is now another good excuse to reach for the corkscrew.
It emerged today that scientists have discovered one more reason why a glass or two of your favourite Merlot could be beneficial to your health.
It is already known that wine can reduce the risk of heart disease by thinning the blood and preventing dangerous clots.
Now researchers have found that red wine acts as an antibiotic in the body, killing potentially fatal bacteria.
They tested the effects of ingredients of red wine on certain bacteria, including concentrated extracts from Pinot Noir wine and resveratol - a chemical found in the wine, often credited with the drink's health benefits.
The findings, revealed in New Scientist magazine, come from a team at the University of Illinois, who found that both compounds greatly stunted growth of bacterial colonies.
Researcher Gail Mahady said: "At very low concentrations, probably equivalent to those in a glass of wine, we found that these components inhibited the bacteria in cell culture."
Scientists say there is some evidence that a bacterium like chlamydia pneumoniae aggravates inflammation and furs up arteries with fatty deposits.
The anti-bacterial effects of red wine might help to explain why fewer French people suffer heart problems despite eating fatty foods. But Ms Mahady said other aspects of French lifestyle such as low sugar intake might also play a role.
