Resveratrol is an important antioxidant believed to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and even increase life span. Resveratrol sources include red wine, red or purple grape juice, or raw grapes. Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, as well as peanuts are other sources of resveratrol. Another source of resveratrol may be found in Japanese knotweed, especially through supplements made from this plant.
Resveratrol is an antioxidant produced by plants that is thought to have many positive side effects on the human body. Resveratrol is speculated to have the ability to protect blood vessels, prevent blood clots, and reduce cholesterol — in other words, it lowers the risk of heart disease. It may also help protect against cancer and support long life.
A good food item in the list of resveratrol sources is peanuts. Peanuts, peanut butter or boiled peanuts are all good ways to consume resveratrol. Boiled peanuts are especially effective, with approximately 0.32 to 1.28 milligrams of resveratrol per cup.
Japanese knotweed is another source of resveratrol. Japanese knotweed is an invasive plant often found in cities in Asia. If one is good at plant identification, it is possible to consume the tender shoots of the plant in the early springtime, though a more effect way to consume the resveratrol in this plant may be through Japanese knotweed supplements.
Another fortunate source of resveratrol is cocoa and dark chocolate. The darker the type of chocolate, the higher the amount of resveratrol — so cocoa has the highest amount, followed by baker’s chocolate then dark chocolate. These darker chocolates are believed to contain about .0141 to .0185 milligrams of resveratrol per serving.
One of the most important resveratrol sources is from grapes, specifically the skins of grapes. Resveratrol is found in its highest quantities in red wine. High resveratrol content is specific to red wine rather than white wine because it is the skin of the red grapes that contains the most resveratrol. In red wine fermentation, the skin is left in contact with the grapes, while this does not occur during the fermentation of white wine.
Grape juice is another good source of resveratrol. Although not as high in the antioxidant as red wine, red or purple grape juice comes close. Raw grapes are also a good source of the antioxidant, especially concord grapes. Although consistently the best source of resveratrol, the amount in grapes varies by grape variety and region.
Although red wine is one of the best resveratrol sources, one must remember that the ill effects of alcohol are not necessarily outweighed by the benefits of resveratrol. Drinking too much alcohol puts individuals at much higher risk for high blood pressure, cancer, obesity and liver damage. Increasing one’s consumption of red wine in order to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease is not recommended. Instead, drinking grape juice or consuming resveratrol supplements would provide much the same beneficial effects without any of the risks of alcohol.