SANGRIA

Red wine has been shown to have a positive effect on health and the high rate of wine consumption in France is often used to explain the seeming paradox that the French have a lower rate of heart disease than we do even though they eat a diet high in animal fats. I think they are healthier because of the butter and duck fat, not in spite of it, but the resveratrol in the wine probably doesn’t hurt.

SANGRIA
1 whole lime, sliced and seeded
1/2 orange, sliced and seeded
1 bottle red wine (25 ounces)
2 ounces Grand Marnier
Sugar substitute equal to 1/2 cup sugar
16 ounces sparkling water

Place the sliced fruit in a pitcher and crush lightly with a wooden spoon. Add the wine, Grand Marnier, and sweetener, and chill for 3 to 4 hours. Stir and add the sparkling water. Serve over ice.

Makes 6 glasses
Per serving: Total Carb: 5g; Fiber: 0g; Net Carb: 5g
Recipe adapted from Carb Wars; Sugar is the New Fat.

Note:
Resveratrol is an anti-fungal compound produced in the skin of grapes grown in cool, wet conditions, especially at high altitudes where ultra-violet radiation from the sun is stronger. (Peanuts, berries, grape skins, and chocolate also contain resveratrol.)

A study published in the August FASEB Journal suggests one way resveratrol may work to treat and prevent inflammatory diseases. Researchers found the it prevented the body from creating sphingosine kinase and phospholipase D, two molecules known to trigger inflammation. (Priya D. A. Issuree, Peter N. Pushparaj, Shazib Pervaiz, and Alirio J. Melendez, “Resveratrol attenuates C5a-incuced inflammatory responses in vitro and in vivo by inhibiting phospholipase D and sphingosine kinase activities,” FASED J. 2009 23: 2412-2424; published online as doi: 10.1096/fj.09-130342.)

Wines that have the highest resveratrol content come from cooler areas that are subject to greater disease pressure, such as Pinot Noirs from the Burgandy region in France. Wines from hot, dry regions, such as California and Australia, usually have less.

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