As if you needed yet another justification for your glass of weeknight red. Polish researchers at the University of Poznan conducted a three-month-long survey, studying the effects of resveratrol, the naturally existing compound in the skins and seeds of grapes (as well as nuts and chocolate) on women suffering from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, otherwise known as PCOS. Affected women experience symptoms such as weight gain and irregular menstrual cycles caused by the excessive amounts of androgens such as testosterone. In serious cases, infertility and diabetes can occur. Nearly 10 percent of women of childbearing age are affected by PCOS.
Over the course of a 90-day period, the women were either given a resveratrol pill or placebo. Blood tests were administered before and after the experiment to measure levels of testosterone and insulin in the body. After the 90 days, women affected by PCOS who took the resveratrol pill saw a decrease of over 23 percent in testosterone levels in their blood — a shockingly sharp decline in such a short time. This same group of women experienced better reception to insulin, a key factor in the hindrance and control of diabetes.
Based on the study, it’s believed that resveratrol could relieve hormone imbalances that are one of the main symptoms of PCOS. For women with PCOS, these hormone imbalances may cause the egg not to develop as it should or not be released at all, resulting in infertility. Glass of red to prevent infertility and diabetes? Say no more.
But why wine be red? Simply put, resveratrol is found in grape skins and seeds, not grape flesh. White wine production generally involves pressing the juice immediately from the grapes, so as to separate contact with the skins and seeds, thereby leaving out much of the resveratrol. Red wine, however, undergoes maceration, the process in which the juice is soaked with skins and seeds to extract flavor, color and tannin. This process permits resveratrol to be more present in red wines. So grab a glass of your favorite Cab, Zin or Merlot — you’ll be doing your body well.
