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We've all heard about the benefits from drinking 1-2 glasses of red wine each day. Lowered incidences of coronary heart disease and cholesterol related diseases are frequently reported from areas known for high red wine consumption.
From: Spectroscopy now
Another interesting read:
Saponins for health; What will they think of next?
From: Spectroscopy now
Wine for table six...
US researchers have found another excuse for us to indulge in a glass or two of red wine - another set of chemical congeners that can be linked to the drink's putative ability to lower cholesterol. The compounds, saponins, were identified using chromatographic separation with mass spectral detection.
Drinking red wine has been linked to reducing the action of cardiovascular disease mechanisms in numerous experiments, such as platelet activity and inflammation. Those findings are thought to solve the so-called French paradox that suggests red wine consumption counteracts the negative effects of a high-fat diet as evidenced by the lower incidence of heart disease among French wine drinkers.
Now, chemical enologists at the University of California, Davis, have identified another group of chemicals in red wine, which they say is linked to these findings. The saponins, triterpenoid-based plant natural products are found in several foods, such as olive oil and soybeans. According to Andrew Waterhouse this is the first time they have been determined in wine.
Andrew Waterhouse
Waterhouse discussed his findings at the autumn meeting of the American Chemical Society. Resveratrol, an antioxidant found in grapes, has until now been considered the compound that plays the biggest role in the French paradox. Saponins, however, could be just as important believes Waterhouse. "Saponins are a hot new food ingredient," he says, "People are just starting to pay attention to them, but no one thought to look for them in wine, until now."
The waxy skin of grapes is thought to be the source of the saponins, which dissolve in the wine during fermentation. To find out more, Waterhouse tested six varieties of California wines, four red and two white. "Average dietary saponin intake has been estimated at 15 mg, while one glass of red has a total saponin concentration of about half that, making red wine a significant dietary source," he says. Red wine had three to ten times the saponin concentration of white, with red Zinfandel having the highest levels, followed by Syrah, Pinot noir and Cabernet Sauvignon. Alcohol content was strongly correlated with saponin levels. The red Zinfandel tested was 16% alcohol. "We think that alcohol may make the saponins more soluble in wine, but follow up studies are needed," explains Waterhouse.
Zinfandel grapes
Red wines apparently contain about the same amount of saponin as resveratrol. But while resveratrol is thought to block cholesterol oxidation by its antioxidant action, saponins are believed to work by binding to and preventing the absorption of cholesterol from food. Other researchers have also found evidence that saponins affect inflammatory pathways, which could also have an effect on the development of heart disease and cancer.
Another interesting read:
Saponins for health; What will they think of next?
