Resveratrol in Foods - What Are the Best Sources? By Valerie Rosenbaum At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Advising people about the best food sources for resveratrol has been difficult, because the amount that is present in foods varies greatly. Grape skins, primarily darkly colored skins, as opposed to white, have the highest concentration. But, the content depends on the geographic origin and the grapes’ exposure to fungal infections.

You see, resveratrol, like other plant antioxidants, is actually one of the plant’s natural defenses against disease. If the plant is not exposed to disease, there are lower concentrations of antioxidants. This is seen when comparing organic foods to those grown by modern mass-production methods.

On big farms, plants are protected from pathogens through the use of bug spray, weed killer and other techniques. Because of that, the plant’s natural defense mechanisms do not develop. So, you might say that the best food sources for resveratrol are organic grapes that are red or darker in color, because organic farming practices do not allow for the use of herbicides or other synthetic compounds. But still, the content would vary, as does the nutrient content of any fruit or vegetable.

When you read about the vitamin or mineral content of a fruit or vegetable, this is the average content. For example, a 3.5 ounce serving of red or green grapes provides, on the average, 10.8mg of vitamin C, 191mg of potassium, 20mg of phosphorous and 10mg of calcium. For resveratrol, no average content has been determined and it would not be listed on a bottle of grape juice or red wine, because it is not a vitamin or mineral that is essential to human health.

It is not possible to analyze the nutritional content of every fruit or vegetable, because analysis destroys the food. This is one concern that supports the necessity of daily nutritional supplements to support overall good health. No one really knows what nutrients or how much they are getting on a daily basis.

Supposing that red grapes are the best food sources for resveratrol, researchers have analyzed the content and found that it ranges from .24mg per cup to 1.25mg per cup. The content in boiled peanuts ranges from .32mg per cup to 1.28mg per cup. Since those two are very close, they could both be considered good sources of the nutrient.

If you like these foods, go ahead and eat them, but if you are looking for best food sources for resveratrol, because you have heard about the health benefits, don’t bother. Researchers originally thought that the resveratrol in red wine explained the French paradox, which is a lower than expected incidence of heart disease despite a diet that is high in fat. They have since shown that the small amount that is present in red wine could not explain the paradox. They say that it may be do to all of the nutrients, as well as the alcohol, that is present in red wine.

There is no doubt that resveratrol is beneficial to the heart and other systems of the body, especially when included in a complete multi-nutritional supplement. But, the best food sources for resveratrol are not believed to provide these benefits.

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