Imagine enjoying a glass of red wine and at the same time lowering your bad cholesterol. It has been determined that the ingredients in red wine may lead to a healthy heart.
High levels of cholesterol lead to cardiovascular heart disease. The bad cholesterol, LDL, causes your arteries to harden and eventually clog up. When the flow of blood becomes restricted to your heart, you get a heart attack.
Wine contains a group of chemicals that have the ability to lower cholesterol levels. It improves your HDL/LDL ratio. In the French Paradox theory there is an association between red wine and coronary heart disease. The French people devour a large amount of foods which are rich in saturated fats. They eat organ meats and rich dairy products such as cheese and eggs. However, the French people have a lower incidence of coronary heart disease. Their arteries are less hard and clogged. The logical explanation is that red wine counter balances the bad effect of high saturated fat foods.
Red wine contains catechins and resverstrol. These are collectively known as polyphenols. They have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory fighting powers. These chemicals are found in the skin of red wine. A new fighting chemical against cholesterol is saponins, also found in the skin of red wine. It is believed that resvertrol neutralizes cholesterol oxidation and saponins prevent absorption of cholesterol.
Research has shown that red wine is heart friendly. You should not drink more than two glasses per day. Red wine is not a substitute for a healthy lifestyle. Just because you drink red wine does not mean that you are cholesterol free.
Drinking red wine in moderation is heart smart. Drinking red wine at more than moderate levels can lead to many other health problems and complications. Remember that red wine by itself is not the answer to your cholesterol problems.
Norm Kay is a contributing health care writer. He has created a website devoted to lowering cholesterol
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