A supplement for teetotallers
of the ingredients of red wine, often linked to the health of
Mediterranean populations, without the alcohol.
The pill, which will include a mixture of sugar, amino acids, polyphenols and other healthy ingredients, would allow non-drinkers to gain the health benefits of the beverage, the researchers at the Pavese Pharma Biochemical Institute in Pavia, Italy, told this week's issue of New Scientist.
Red wine has long been thought to contribute to the 'French Paradox', a term to explain the seemingly paradoxical high consumption of rich, fatty food but low levels of heart disease among the French.
Scientists have identified a high level of antioxidant flavonols in red wine that are thought to fight free radicals that lead to disease such as cancer. They have also found that one of its components, resveratrol, fights cholesterol, helping to keep arteries clear and reduce heart disease.
Resveratrol supplements are also being developed elsewhere but many of the studies on wine's benefits do not clarify whether resveratrol alone is responsible for the positive effects. Last year US scientists said they had identified the presence of saponins in red wine, which could be just as important as resveratrol in fighting cholesterol.
A study published last year also found that people who drink wine weekly or even monthly may reduce their risk of developing dementia.
