Red Wine Increases Blood Flow in Small Blood Vessels

The French have the lowest heart disease rate in the world, in spite of eating a diet high in saturated fats— a phenomenon that scientists call the “French paradox.” Red wine consumption might be the cause: the French drink 47 liters of red wine per year, while Americans drink only 7 liters. Red wine contains resveratrol, quercetin, and tannic acid that positively affect heart disease risk factors such as lipoproteins, blood clotting, insulin sensitivity, and blood vessel health.

Scientists from the University of Brescia in Italy found that red wine was a powerful vasodilator (opens blood vessels). It increased blood flow in small blood vessels in people with and without high blood pressure. Chemicals in red wine enhance the health of small blood vessels and might reduce the risk of heart disease. (American Journal of Hypertension, 23: 373-378, 2010)