Even More Resveratrol Swag

Last week I posted about resveratrol paraphenalia available from Food Follies HERE. Slashfood recently posted about resveratrol pills to slow the aging process, and a resveratrol necklace! The necklace was designed by Made with Molecules (a San Francisco scientist turned artist), and can be purchased HERE. There is a whole line of molecular jewelry including dopamine, caffeine, and even chocolate. Show off your inner nerd with a necklace, a pair of earrings, or even your baby! My favorite is still the resveratrol necklace, and it is going on my anniversary wish list...

Image courtesy of Made with Molecules via SlashFood.

Got Resveratrol?

You all know how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE resveratrol... who wouldn't? It is an anti-oxidant with anti-aging, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects. Well I am not the only one in love with the phytoalexin!

Kristen from Food Follies designed the resveratrol paraphenalia (which can be purchased HERE). And being the nutrition nerd I am, I want it!

(Lack of) Food for Thought

One of the reasons I am somewhat obsessed with resveratrol (see litany of resveratrol related posts HERE) is the fact that it is a caloric restriction mimetic (*). What is the significance of caloric restriction beyond dieting?... a longer lifespan! Caloric restriction has been shown to extend lifespan in organisms ranging from yeast to mice to monkeys. In a recent review published in Science, researchers look at this phenomenon from a molecular perspective. Click HERE for more.

While I am all about living a longer healthier life, I am not sure that I would be willing to permanently reduce my caloric intake by 30%(the level used in mammalian studies). Would you permanently cut calories if it meant you could live longer?

* though a recent publication in Nature has suggested it is acting independently of sirtuins (the genes normally activated by caloric restriction)

T Minus 2 Days... Wine

I am by no means a wine aficionado. I have no idea whether a wine is fruity or oaky or buttery, I just know if it tastes good to me. As such I will not be telling you which wines will pair perfectly with your turkey dinner (although I will link to some people who can). My personal opinion is that you should forget all that and sip on something you like... white, red, whatever so long as you enjoy it.

One glass of red wine contains approximately 90 calories, but it is bursting with phytochemicals! Of which, my favorite is resveratrol. Resveratrol has anti-aging properties, behaves as an antioxidant, and has been associated with the French paradox. Reason enough to enjoy a glass (or two) on Thanksgiving!

White wine also contains 90 calories per glass, but you can cut the calories by enjoying a white wine spritzer. Studies have shown that white wine may promote healthy lung function(attention smoking husband).

Don't stress about having the perfect wine with your dinner, just pick one you like!

Click HERE for an article from Forbes.

MSNBC has some TG wine suggestions HERE.

HERE is a "Can't Fail Guide" to TG wine.

Enjoy!

Life in the Fast Slow Lane

Antioxidants are the {not so} new black.  They are found in cosmetics and foods ranging from soda to jello to old fashioned fruits and vegetables, and are often touted as the key to staying young.  Recent research indicates that antioxidants might not be the only ingredient in the fountain of youth...

"A new study on roundworms suggests that the relationship 

between aging and antioxidants isn't so simple. The research, 

published in June in the journal Genetics, revealed that 

roundworms with genetic mutations that slowed their metabolism

lived longer than regular roundworms — even though the 

mutated worms showed no evidence of increased protection

from free radicals. That means that the rate of living might

be more important to lifespan than free radical damage."

Click HERE to read the full article.

Interesting, but not enough to make me end my torrid love affair with resveratrol ***.  I will keep my diet cherry seven up with antioxidants thank you very much!




*** Mr. FD: I am sorry you had to find out like this, but you can't predict these things...

Yet another reason to drink red wine...

I love red wine, who doesn't? The stemware, the flavors, the resveratrol, and now apparently increased plasma levels of omega-3s. Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found predominantly in fish, are protective against coronary heart disease.

"People drinking moderate amounts of alcohol (particularly
red wine), one drink a day for women and two for men, had
higher concentration of omega-3 fatty acids in plasma
and red blood cells independently of their fish intake"

Click HERE for the full article from Science Daily.

Start the weekend off right, pour yourself a glass and drink to your heart!

As for me, I have a date with my husband, my 2 cats, a movie, and a glass of muscadine wine...

Red, Red Wine, You Make me Feel so Fine

And apparently so will grape juice. For years we have heard about the health benefits of red wine (more on the wonderful-ness that is resveratrol later). New research has found that some grape juice provides the same health benefits.

"Independent studies have found that like alcohol,

grape juice can reduce the risk of blood clots

and prevent LDL (“bad” cholesterol) from sticking to

coronary arteries, among other cardiac benefits.

One, conducted by scientists at theUniversity of Wisconsin

and published in the journal Circulation, looked at the

effects of two servings of Concord grape juice a day

in 15 people with coronary artery disease. After two weeks,

the subjects had improved blood flow and reduced

oxidation of LDL. Oxidized LDL can damage arteries. "

Click HERE for the full story from the New York Times.

• When you are choosing a grape juice, make sure it does not contain any additives or additional sugar.