Have you heard about the French Paradox? It’s something that has troubled scientists, fashionistas, dieticians and anybody not French for years. The question is as follows: how do the French maintain such low mortality rates from coronary heart disease while eating food that is so high in saturated fats and smoking copious amounts of cigarettes? Were they all just born lucky, blessed with amazing genes? Or could there be something else, something, say, such as the fact that they drink large amounts of red wine? This speculation led to many scientific investigations into the nature of red wine, and the discovery of a polyphenolic compound called resveratrol. Suddenly resveratrol was being touted as a cure all, able to prevent cancer, heart attacks, and even aging. Doctors began prescribing a glass of red wine per day, and the health benefits seemed endless. But how much of this is hype, how much hard fact? Let’s take a look and sort the truth from fiction, and see whether red wine really is a wine saver—or a delicious hoax.
