Red Wine and Fatty Liver

The potential health benefits of drinking a daily glass of red wine now include fatty liver disease prevention.

Resveratrol
An antioxidant known for its presence in the skin of red grapes, resveratrol is generating a lot of interest for its potential benefits for fatty liver disease. After identifying reservatrol’s presence in red wine, scientists began exploring if this compound might be responsible for the low rate of cardiovascular disease in the French, despite their diet renowned for excessively rich, fatty foods. Although there is some evidence that resveratrol may benefit heart disease by reducing blood clot formation, the American Heart Association does not recommend drinking wine to gain these potential benefits.

Resveratrol is found in grapes, wine, grape juice, peanuts and berries of Vaccinum species, including blueberries, bilberries and cranberries. In grapes, resveratrol is found only in the skins with the amount dependant on the following variables:

· The grape cultivar
· The geographic origin
· The exposure to fungal infection
· For wine, the amount of fermentation time spent in contact with the grape skins

Since the amount of resveratrol can vary in food and beverages, the following amounts of this antioxidant in different items are an approximation:

· 5 ounce glass of Spanish red wine = .29 – 1.89 mg resveratrol
· 5 ounce glass of global red wine = .30 – 1.07 mg resveratrol
· 5 ounce glass of Spanish red grape juice = .17 – 1.30 mg resveratrol
· 1 cup of raw peanuts = .01 – .26 mg resveratrol
· 1 cup boiled peanuts = .32 – 1.28 mg resveratrol
· 1 cup peanut butter = .04 – .13 mg resveratrol
· 1 cup red grapes = .24 – 1.25 mg resveratrol

Therefore, until the experts condone a daily glass of red wine to prevent fatty liver disease – munching on red grapes, boiled peanuts or sipping grape juice could help prevent fatty liver disease – without any of alcohol’s associated risks.