All the benefits of red wine without the alcohol

March 5, 2009

Most of us have heard that red wine has health benefits. The theory was conceived when we noticed that all those French people consumed alot of it and didn't get heart disease at the same rates as Americans. How amazing! An alcoholic drink that is actually good for you.

Well, it probably isn't so helpful for recovering alcoholics or children. The good news is that many of the health benefits from red wine exist in (you guessed it!) grapes. The skin of the grape has compounds that may help prevent cancer and heart disease.

Which is less expensive - health insurance or grapes? I would choose grapes. But grapes can be really expensive out of season and if they are organic. You can pay up to three times the price for organic grapes versus conventionally grown ones. Look for grapes during summer and fall when they are the cheapest. Eat raisins during the rest of the year.

I would feed children organic grapes. Pesticides in grapes is a problem when you are buying grapes from South America. The grapes from other countries can be sprayed with non-FDA approved pesticides and can be in high concentrations. When possible, buy organic grapes and/or grapes from the United States.