3 Potential Health Benefits of Red Wine

You've probably heard the good news by now. Drinking red wine (in moderation!) is good for you! Here are three of the potential health benefits. Cheers!

1) Red wine may reduce the risk of coronary artery disease. According to SuperFoods Rx: Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life by Steven Pratt and Kathy Matthews, "Recent research has concentrated on the ability of flavonoids in wine to play an active role in reducing the risk of coronary artery disease. The extremely high level of polyphenols in red wine, which is about twenty to fifty times higher than white wine, is due to the incorporation of the grape skins in the fermenting process. The polyphenols in grape skins are known to prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, a critical event in the process of the development of coronary artery disease."

2) Red wine may be anti-aging. The deep red color of red wine comes from an important flavonoid called resveratrol. Resveratrol is a powerful antioxidant that may help to slow the aging process by helping to protect cell walls from free radical damage. 

3) Red wine may reduce inflammation. According to http://www.healthdiaries.com/, "Resveratrol has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties, which helps overall physical health since many diseases and ailments can be attributed to inflammation."

We hope you found this information helpful. Be sure to follow Eat Groovy on Twitter (@EatGroovy) and Pinterest (http://www.pinterest.com/eatgroovy/) for lots of great healthy eating tips!

5 Foods That May Reduce the Risk of Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men worldwide and the leading cancer for men in the United States. Here are five nutrient rich foods that may help to prevent it .

1. Onions

Not only is there strong evidence that onions can help lower the risk of prostate cancer, they may also help prevent other types of cancer too.

According to The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Eat and Why by Jonny Bowden:

"Onions are a cancer-fighting food. In a number of impressive published studies, the consumption of onions (and other members of the allium vegetable family) demonstrated protective effects against stomach cancer. And in one study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, eating onions (as well as other members of its family like garlic, scallions, chives, and leeks) significantly lowered the risk for prostate cancer. Onions (and there close relatives) have also been shown to have the same effect against esophageal cancer."

2. Tomatoes

Tomatoes contain the powerful antioxidant lycopene, which multiple studies suggest may help to both reduce the risk of prostate cancer and prevent tumor growth. Eating cooked tomatoes or tomato sauce along with foods rich in healthy fats, like olive oil or avocados, is the best way to get lycopene in a way that your body can easily absorb.

3. Broccoli

According to http://www.healthline.com:

"Several studies have demonstrated a lower chance of developing prostate cancer among men who eat large amounts of broccoli or other cruciferous vegetables...Although the reasons as to why are still unclear, some researchers propose that one of the pytochemicals found in these vegetables, called sulforaphane, selectively targets and kills cancer cells while leaving normal prostate cells healthy and unaffected."

4. Pomegranate Juice

Preliminary studies show the potential of pomegranate juice to reduce the risk of prostate cancer is promising.

According to http://www.health.harvard.edu

"Two recent studies suggest that pomegranate juice may help fight prostate cancer. In one study, scientists grew cells from highly aggressive cases of human prostate cancer in tissue cultures. Pomegranate fruit extracts slowed the growth of the cultured cancer cells and promoted cell death. The researchers then implanted the cancer cells in mice. A group of mice that received water laced with pomegranate juice developed significantly smaller tumors than the untreated animals. In a preliminary study of men with prostate cancer, pomegranate juice lengthened patients’ PSA doubling time (the longer the doubling time, the slower the tumor is growing) from 15 months before treatment to 54 months on the juice."

5. Grapes

This is good news for red wine lovers. According to 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life! by David Grotto, "A cell study using advanced human prostate cells found that treatment with grape seed extract inhibited cell growth and caused them to die. Another study showed that drinking four or more glasses of red wine per week could cut the risk of prostate cancer in half."

5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Grapes

1. More grapes are grown throughout the world than any other fruit.

2. Over 95% of grapes produced in the United States come from California.

3. Since ancient times grapes have been believed to have healing properties.

4. Grapes are rich in powerful antioxidants, and a number of studies have shown a link between grapes and cancer prevention.

5. One grape vine can grow up to 50 feet.

10 Fruits High in Antioxidants

In no particular order, here is a list of 10 fruits that contain a high amount of antioxidants. Antioxidants are important in protecting the body against damage from oxidation. As a result, they help prevent disease and slow the aging process.

1) Blueberries
2) Apples
3) Blackberries
4) Grapes
5) Cranberries
6) Kiwis
7) Raspberries
8) Strawberries
9) Plums
10) Cherries
                                                                        

3 Reasons to Eat Grapes

Did you know that every time you eat grapes you may also be improving your health and reducing your risk of chronic and deadly diseases such as cancer? Check out these three health benefits that are sure to make you want to add more grapes to your diet!

1) Grapes contain resveratrol. Resveratrol is a powerful phytonutrient that is known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. It has also been shown to prevent or delay Alzheimer’s as well as being associated with helping to maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Resveratrol is found abundantly in the skins of grapes.


2) Red grapes contain the carotenoid lycopene. Lycopene is a potent cancer-fighting antioxidant. It neutralizes free radicals before they can cause damage. Lycopene has about twice the antioxidant power of beta carotene. Lycopene is fat-soluble so you absorb lycopene well only if you eat it with dietary fat. Lycopene has been linked to preventing cardiovascular disease, skin damage, cancer, osteoporosis, and diabetes. Lycopene has been specifically linked to the prevention of prostate cancer.

3) Grapes contain an abundance of antioxidants including caffeic, caftaric, coumaric, and coutaric acids. Antioxidants slow cell damage caused by oxidation and slow the aging process.