In the 1990s, the French paradox became a popular concept in an attempt to explain the resilience of the French to rich and fatty foods. Despite this unusual diet, which was categorised as unhealthy, an unusually low rate of cardiovascular disease (CHD = corona heart disease) was observed in the French.
Attempts were made to explain this phenomenon by the consumption of red wine. Red wine contains resveratrol, which is known to lower blood pressure and relax the blood vessels.
However, in order to detect a blood pressure-lowering effect, one gram of resveratrol per day is required. To obtain this gram, a person would have to drink between 500 and 2700 litres of red wine per day, eat 800 kg of red grapes or alternatively eat 2900 kg of chocolate, which would not be wise or recommendable from a nutritional point of view [1].
I didn't really understand the point of this article. A number of studies with different conclusions have been endeavoured, from which I would not venture to say that wine consumption has a clear positive influence on health. However, the results of the study [2] clearly indicate that moderate to heavy consumption of wine has a positive effect on mortality. Participants in the study who drank 3-5 glasses of wine a day had up to a 50% lower mortality rate than participants who did not drink alcohol.
For consumers of spirits, mortality increased significantly, while that of beer drinkers showed no difference.
In an article published by the Marin Institute in 2000, which now calls itself "alcohol justice", the topic is discussed controversially: there is no scientific consensus on the protective effect of alcohol, whereby a distinction must be made, as we have already seen above, between different alcoholic solutions and their ingredients. When evaluating such studies, the concentration of the alcohol and the quality of the ingredients obviously make a difference.
According to this article, even the fathers of the "French Paradox" are now distancing themselves from the attempt to explain that the lower rate of heart disease in France is due to wine consumption, despite a higher consumption of saturated fatty acids. www.marininstitute.org.
It is now even questionable whether the study on which the paradox is based is based on reliable data. It is possible that not all deaths were diagnosed as cardiac at the time the data was collected, meaning that the number of unreported cases is far higher than previously assumed.
I also doubt whether a clear relationship between wine and low CHD rates will be possible, as too many factors can have an influence, such as diet, which offers a further explanation in the Mediterranean diet, or lifestyle per se, as wine is usually drunk in a social environment, which can have a favourable effect on the cardiovascular system. Genetics can also play a role or, due to the north-south divide, sun exposure, which can have an influence on the hormone or vitamin balance.
In my opinion, the French Paradox will always leave room for conjecture and speculation. But what do we hope to gain from the studies and different explanatory models? Of course, the wine industry is hoping for an increase in sales, which really did materialise after this paradox was published. According to the "60 Minutes" report by Morley Safer, sales of red wine in the USA rose by 44% in 1991 [3]. The wine industry has also commissioned a number of studies that have confirmed or at least considered a positive link between the consumption of red wine and a lower rate of CHD.
But what does this mean for the consumer? I think it is undisputed that excessive alcohol consumption can have negative health consequences. The effectiveness and health benefits of taking antioxidants such as anthocyanins and polyphenols are also undisputed. However, I have yet to find a study that provides information on the amount of red wine up to which the health benefits outweigh the negative effects and when the consumption of red wine becomes harmful. I think the daily amount of 3-5 glasses of red wine mentioned at the beginning is far too much.
Wine, whether red, white or rosé, is a cultural asset and must be regarded as such. We at FuntastyFood sell wine as a luxury food, as a flavour experience that you treat yourself to once in a while and not as a "fountain of youth" or "blood pressure reducer". When I enjoy a good wine, I do so consciously and because I want to enjoy the wine, not because I expect it to have health benefits. If these do materialise, I am of course delighted, otherwise I am sure that I don't have to worry about any adverse effects from my moderate wine consumption.
There are other ways to stay healthy, such as exercising, eating a Mediterranean diet, getting enough sleep and so on. I would refrain from daily, albeit moderate, consumption of wine.