Red wine and purple grape juice have high antioxidant activity: Study

Drinking grape juice and wine in moderation is known to be good for you because of their antioxidant properties. However, there are many types of grape juice and wine, and all these contain different levels of antioxidants. In order to determine which type of wine and grape juice are best to consume, researchers at Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in the U.S. conducted a study assessing and comparing the antioxidant levels of different types of wine and grape juice.

In the study published in the journal Free Radicals and Antioxidants, the researchers looked at the antioxidant levels of three types of wine: Concord grape, Pinot noir, and Pinot grigio. They also evaluated the antioxidant levels of three types of grape juice: homemade purple grape juice, Concord grape juice, and white grape juice. They also measured the carbohydrate content of these wines and grape juices.

For the study, they used the cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) biochemical test for total antioxidant activity and a carbohydrate biochemical test.

Based on the results, the Pinot noir contained more antioxidants than the Concord grape wine and the Pinot grigio. The purple and Concord grape juices had similar antioxidant levels and both had substantially greater antioxidants than the other wines examined. The white grape juice had low antioxidant content.

In terms of carbohydrate content, the three grape juices had similar carbohydrates. On the other hand, the wines had significantly different carbohydrate levels. The Pinot noir and Pinot grigio both had very low carbohydrate level, which can be attributed to their fermentation process that turns carbohydrates into alcohol. However, the Concord grape wine was sweeter and had higher carbohydrate content.

Taking both antioxidant and carbohydrates into account, the researchers suggested that red wine seem to be the best grape product to drink. Meanwhile, purple grape juice can also be consumed because of its higher antioxidants, but also at the expense of consuming more carbohydrates.

The benefit of drinking red wine in women

Many studies have shown that drinking red wine in moderation is good for the heart. But did you know that it is also good for fertility in women? A study carried out by researchers at Washington University revealed that drinking at least one glass of red wine each week boosts fertility in women.

The researchers assessed how alcohol affects the ovarian reserve of a woman – the quantity, health, and viability of her egg cells. They conducted a survey on 135 women between the ages of 18 and 44. the participants kept an alcohol diary to record how much wine they consumed every month. Moreover, the researchers also conducted regular ultrasound scans on each of the participants to determine the number of viable eggs they had.

The researchers discovered that drinking five or more glasses of red wine each month resulted in a positive effect on the fertility of women. They said that this could be due to the abundance of resveratrol in red wine, an antioxidant also found in red grapes, blueberries, and cocoa. This antioxidant works by inhibiting molecules that cause inflammation and compounds in the blood that interrupt the production of insulin. (Related: Resveratrol keeps fighting cancer even after body breaks it down into other compounds.)

Although the findings of the study are interesting, experts have warned that the exposure of the developing fetus to alcohol may cause permanent developmental damage. They recommended that women trying to conceive should not consume more than six units of alcohol a week.

Read more news stories and studies on foods rich in antioxidants by going to Food.news.

Sources include:

Science.news

Telegraph.co.uk