Resveratrol
Resveratrol And What It Can Do For You
In the world of health food supplements where new products come and go on a regular basis, few products have the effectiveness to stand the test of time. It seems that a host of products that come with miraculous claims of numerous health benefits only last as long as the next new “miracle” product.
In this fast changing and incendiary health food scene comes a product that may just deliver what all the others only claim to. It’s called resveratrol, and the health and medical community are practically unanimous in trumpeting its claims. In fact, many feel that resveratrol is the most revolutionary and exciting health food supplement to hit the scene in recent years, mostly due to its anti-aging and cardiovascular effects, much of which is the result of its high antioxidant content.
Resveratrol in the media
Resveratrol has in fact enjoyed a fair bit of attention from the media, with the product having been the subject of extensive coverage in TV shows such as CBS 60 Minutes, the ABC news, and The Oprah Winfrey Show. It seems that celebrities and media personalities have become hip to the many benefits that resveratrol offers, echoing the sentiments of the global scientific and health communities.
Resveratrol’s health benefits
Numerous studies have conclusively shown that antioxidants–which are found in large quantities in peanuts, cranberries, grapes, and red wine–have a large role in preventing many common afflictions such as heart disease and cardiovascular diseases, and they may even forestall many of the effects commonly associated with aging. These foods are even though to be more effective than other high antioxidant substances such as the C and E vitamins.
The French paradox
Much of the beneficial effects of resveratrol is tied in with what is known as the "French paradox". This is the realization that the French have one of the lowest incidences of cardiovascular disease in the world, in spite of a diet that is notoriously high in fat. This has been explained by the French’s propensity for red wine, which is a good source of resveratrol.
The significance of the French paradox is particularly noteworthy, since many of today’s foods are loaded with saturated fats and trans fatty acids, both of which have been linked with a high incidence of cardiovascular disease.
How resveratrol works
Research has shown that resveratrol can actually offset many of the damaging effects of the fatty foods that we eat, by reducing the levels of bad cholesterol in our system, while increasing the levels of good cholesterol. Along with the other benefits provided by antioxidants with regard to disease prevention, this has the effect of enhancing many of our bodies’ natural functions, resulting in generally better health.