use their colored background a tan color
Doctors
have believed for years that alcohol, particularly the alcohol
in red
wine, reduces the risk of heart disease. They theorize that
alcohol
affects the platelets, the blood cells that help us stop bleeding
when we
are cut and, because they cling to fatty deposits on artery
walls,
can block the arteries and cause heart attacks. Wine taken with
meals,
some scientists believe, helps remove platelets from artery
walls
before they can form destructive clots.
Another
role wine may play in the prevention of heart disease
concerns
"good" cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL).
Researchers
at such institutions as Harvard's School of Public Health
have demonstrated
that alcohol can increase the blood's level of HDL,
which
-- unlike its evil cousin, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) --
carries
away cholesterol before it adheres to artery walls. The
Harvard
study showed that consuming two alcoholic drinks a day for
six weeks
increased HDL levels by 17 percent. That translates into a
40 percent
reduction in the risk of heart disease.
Scientists
at the University of California at Davis were among those
who looked
at wine's nonalcoholic components and the role they might
play in
explaining the French Paradox. They found that three organic
acids,
or phenols, that are found in the seeds and skins of grapes not
only help
give red wines their flavors and aromas but also aid in
preventing
the buildup of plaque in the arteries. When these phenols
are absorbed
into the bloodstream, they act as antioxidants, preventing
LDL from
being converted into an artery clogger.
While moderate
wine consumption may explain part of the French
Paradox,
it isn't the whole story. And it's important to remember that
the benefits
apply only to moderate wine consumption. Designated
drivers
and those people whose doctors have recommended that they
not consume
alcoholic beverages are better served with a
nonalcoholic
toast.
http://www.countryliving.com/cl/cooking/02winef1.htm
Thursday, May. 20
On Valentine's
Day, toast
your sweetheart
-- and your
good health
-- with a glass
of wine and
any one of these
candlelight
dinners for two.
BY JOANNE LAMB
HAYES
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY CHARLES
GOLD
Several years
ago, Americans
became intrigued
by the
relationship
between red wine and
cardiovascular
health. We had
heard that the
French -- despite
reports that
they smoke more and
exercise less
than we do as a
nation -- run
a 40 percent lower
risk of developing
heart disease
than we do.
How could people
with an
appetite for
such high-fat foods as
pâté
de foie gras, triple-crème
cheeses, and
béarnaise sauce
manage to protect
their hearts from
disease?
Researchers suspected
that wine
-- a beverage
consumed in greater
quantities per
capita in France
than in northern
Europe, the United
States, and
Japan -- might
somehow explain
the apparent
contradiction,
which has come to
be known as
the French Paradox.
This month, though,
we celebrate
the fact that
something as
enjoyable as
a glass of wine with
dinner may actually
be good for
you. In that
spirit, we have created
five entrées
to help you prepare a
special Valentine's
Day dinner to
share with your
sweetheart and
we've paired
each dish with one
of our favorite
red wines.
Here's to your
health! Or, as the
French say,
à votre santé!