A fine wine

We’ve all heard of studies that say a glass of red wine each day can reduce the risk of heart disease, but a hormone found in red wine called resveratrol may also be linked to cancer prevention

The hormone is abundant in grape seeds and skins and helps to protect the plant against environmental stresses such as pruning, micro-organisms and fungus. The fermenting process in red wine means the seeds and skins stay in the wine, and sealing the bottle prevents the resveratrol from escaping.

Though a clear link between resveratrol and cancer prevention is yet to be established, it has been found to interfere with tumour growth in animals in some lab tests. A Danish study also showed that men who drank one glass of red wine per day reduced their risk of prostate cancer by 40 per cent.

So raise a glass of red wine, but keep it to one 125-millilitre glass per day for women, and one or two for men. Any benefits quickly diminish with over-consumption.

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