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A Healthy Glass of White Wine Made for People with Type 1 Diabetes
posted 12/18/02
They developed a white wine
specifically for people with juvenile or type I diabetes, as their bodies are
less effective at mopping up free radicals than normal.
White wine can be just as
healthy as red. That, according to researchers from the University of
Montpellier in France who have made a Chardonnay with a high polyphenol content.
Several studies have linked regular consumption of wine to reduced risk of heart
disease. However, red wine has long been thought to offer more protection than
white because it contains more polyphenols, antioxidants that mop up damaging
free radicals and may also help keep arteries clear of fat deposits.
Developed by researchers in the pharmacology
department at the University of Montpellier 1, the wine is called Paradoxe Blanc
after the paradox of the French diet – despite being high in fatty foods, there
are relatively low levels of heart disease in the population, thought to be
because of regular wine-drinking.
Polyphenols, which are concentrated in the skin
of grapes, are affected by the way wine is made. The researchers, led by
Pierre-Louis Teissedre, chose white grapes that were rich in polyphenols and
used a wine-making process similar to that for red wine, including steps such as
heating up the mixture to a higher level than normal.
The Chardonnay produced had four times the normal
polyphenol content. The wine, designed for people with Type 1 diabetes whose
bodies are less effective at mopping up free radicals, was then tested on
diabetic rats. In a report on the study, published in the online version of the
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the New Scientist says
results showed that wine restored antioxidant levels in the blood back to
normal, even if all the alcohol was removed. Teissedre said a glass or two of
the wine a day could benefit people with diabetes.
However, tests have not yet proved that the wine
reduces fat deposits in arteries, thereby reducing the risk of heart attacks and
strokes, noted the report.
The New Scientist added that winemakers are already rushing to exploit the market. Paradoxe Blanc, now available commercially, could be the first of a new generation of wines deliberately enriched with antioxidants.
Source: Diabetes In Control Dot Com: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 10.1021/jf020219s S0021-8561(02)00219-4.
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