reading Corder's "The Red Wine Diet"

In his new book "The Red Wine Diet". UK researcher Roger Corder makes an interesting case for a diet high in procyanidins, one of the phenols found in red wine, and in chocolate, apples, cinnamon and other plant sources. Oddly enough, these procyanidins seem to be produced by plants in their skins and seeds for protection from rot and insects. Corder makes a convincing case that wine procyanidins are the solution to the "French Paradox" rather than resveratrol, and their benefits to the human circulatory system have also been identified in certain red wine drinking populations in Sardinia, Crete, and Sicily, as well as Southern France. Other confirming evidence comes from the Kuna natives of Panama who drink large quantities of cocoa containing a similar dose of procyanidins, and who achieve the same beneficial health effects.

Corder rates wine by * to ***** in order of their procyanidin content, with the highest ratings going to tannic and acidic wines such as the tannat based wines of the Madiran region of France (120+ mg/4 oz glass). These wines tend to be the kind you want to drink with food. He suggests that two glasses of these highest rated wines give you 250-500mg of procyanidins, his recommended dose per day for optimum health benefits. Since the procyanidins come from the grape skin and seeds, and they deteriorate over time, the highest concentrations are found in young wines fermented for weeks in contact with the skins and seeds. As a general rule he found higher levels in cabernet sauvignon.

Corder also rates various foods in terms of a medium 4 oz glass of high procyanidin wine (~60 mg). For instance:

2 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder (non alkali processed) 1 Tsp cinnamon powder 1 apple, especially tart ones like granny smith 1/2 cup raspberries 1.5 oz walnuts

All the above foods rate equivalent to Corder's (60 mg procyanidin) good glass of wine, so the five of them together would give you about 300 mg, his recommended daily dose. Note that the USDA estimates the typical USA consumption of procyanidins as less than 50 mg, mainly from chocolate and apples.

I found the book very persuasive and have modified my food and wine selections as suggested. But I am wondering if many folks would be convinced by these scientific arguments to significantly change their taste in wines. Corder suggests that his arguments will be persuasive enough so that wine labels will someday include procyanidin contents. This would be very helpful since Corder's list of wine procyanidin levels is limited.

Dave Bailey's Crossroads, VA

Reply to
David Saum
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interesting case for a diet high

apples, cinnamon and other plant

their skins and seeds for

procyanidins are the solution to

circulatory system have also

and Sicily, as well as

Panama who drink large quantities

beneficial health effects.

the highest ratings going to

of France (120+ mg/4 oz

suggests that two glasses of

dose per day for optimum

and they deteriorate over

in contact with the skins and

procyanidin wine (~60 mg). For

of wine, so the five of them

the USDA estimates the typical

as suggested. But I am

significantly change their

so that wine labels will

Corder's list of wine procyanidin

I heard it takes 37 glasses of red wine a day to actually do you any good:)

Reply to
Lew

On 2007-12-08 22:54:06 -0800, "Lew" said

And your point is??? :^)

Reply to
Ronin

Lew wrote: > I heard it takes 37 glasses of red wine a day to actually do you any good:)

Based on the procyanidins or resveratrol theory?

Chris

Reply to
Christopher Sprague

Yes, that is probably true for a red wine selected at random. That is why Corder's list of higher procyanidin wines is useful, and why his proposed addition of procyanidin content to wine labels would be even more useful.

Corder's lowest category 1* wine has 30-45 mg procyanidin, so it would take about 7-10 glasses to get his recommended 300 mg/day. Most red wines do not even rate his 1*.

Note that there may be a threshold effect for procyanidin consumption, so below about 150 per day may give you much benefit.

As a low end example, inexpensive Turning Leaf Cabernet is listed by Corder as 2* or 45-60 mg procyanidin, or about 5-7 glasses per day for 300 mg. So you probably would not want to try to get all your daily recommended procyanidins from a 2* wine.

At the high end, Madiran wines are generally rated as 5* or 120+ mg, or about 2 glasses per day for 300 mg. So it would be reasonable to get your daily recommended procyanidins from 5* wines. Unfortunately these wines are not inexpensive.

Since there are a wide variety of procyanidins and related polyphenols in food and drink, and we don't know all that might be beneficial, Corder recommends consuming a wide variety through food and drink. So you do not need to rely totally on wine. You can get some or all of your daily minimum from foods such as chocolate, apples, berries, cinnamon, nuts, etc. I drink a morning smoothie that contains enough of these foods to add up to 300 mg of procyanidins.

For more information, see the Telegraph series on Corder and his book:

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Dave Bailey's Crossroads, VA

Reply to
David Saum

online video of Corder

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short list of Corder high procyanidin wines

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short list of Corder high procyanidin wines

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Dave Bailey's Crossroads, VA

Reply to
David Saum

said

I cant remember :) Lew

Reply to
Lew

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