Editor's Corner

The benefits of red wine

It's always interesting to see which new research piece will break out into top-of-the-fold headlines in the major newspapers. This week's big story is about resveratrol, an ingredient found in grape skins (and red wine) which researchers found could offset the effects of a high-fat diet. It won't make you skinny, mind you, but in mice models it moderated levels of insulin and glucose--key indicators for diabetes. The problem with resveratrol is that the concentrations needed for a therapeutic effect are far beyond what we'll get from a small glass of pinot, which is still about as far as most doctors will go in recommending a drink to a patient. But it does underscore continuing research that attributes a therapeutic benefit to moderate amounts of red wine. Eventually, scientists will put it in a pill. For now, though, let's toast the latest data with a (small) glass of cabernet.- John