Red wine - the secret of the French diet paradox
Scientists got a step closer this week to understanding the French paradox, or why it is that “French women don’t get fat”. The secret – as some suspected – is in the red wine.
Red wine contains resveratrol, an antioxidant that has the ability to reduce body fat. It reduces the accumulation of triglycerides, and seems to be especially effective when combined with a low-calories diet, says researcher Arrate Lasa, at the University of the Basque Country.
So, resveratrol – whether taken as red wine or in red grapes, or as supplements – improves the positive effects of a diet, and explains why it is that the French don’t put on the weight in the first place, despite their high-fat diet.
(Source: Basque Research, from the University of the Basque Country).