Red Wine for a Better Life

Well, it's official: Red wine makes life better. You heard it here first. Drinking red wine officially improves life, but not in quantity. So says a new study from the US National Institute of Aging.

According to the study, resveratrol, an antioxidant found in red wine, slowed the aging of the heart, bones, and eyes in mice that were fed an otherwise healthy diet. Scientists hope that we might be able to extrapolate these findings to humans, but maybe we better not jump the gun just yet; so let's simply proclaim that red wine makes life better for mice...for now. Now I wonder: would that be all mice or just our French furry friends? Oui, oui Monsieur souris, jouir d'une bonne santé.

If the findings can be extrapolated to man, then, this is great news for sommeliers--red wine is a blessing for better health. The study did not show any benefits to longevity, though, despite the hinting of such from an earlier study. In a 2006 study, researchers found that resveratrol, a compound found naturally in foods like grapes and nuts, improved the health and increased the life expectancy of overweight, older mice; however, not this time.

Well, either way, it's good news. Scientists point out that the effects of resveratrol mimic the effects of calorie reduction, the most effective way found to date to minimize the effects of aging on mammals. If you've read my book, you know what I've said about caloric restriction without malnutrition.

So if you want to slow down the aging process, reduce the quantity of food you regularly eat, and enjoy a glass of red wine with dinner. If that doesn't keep you looking and feeling youthful then at least it should make cheese more enjoyable.