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Drink a good Aussie red and you could live longer
26 Aug 2003
Red wines grown in harsh climates like Australia contain more chemicals that might help people to live longer, according to biologists. The chemicals are said to act by activating an ancient survival reflex. One chemical, a natural substance known as resveratrol, exists naturally in grapes and red wine. And red wines from regions like Australia, where growing conditions are harsher, contain more resveratrol than those produced where grapes are not dehydrated or highly stressed.
This could explain why the French, who eat fatty foods, live as long as anyone else. Research has shown that resveratrol extended the life span of yeast cells by up to 80 per cent. The chemicals mimic the effect of a low-calorie diet, which reduces the incidence of age-related illnesses.
The new chemicals haven't yet even been tested on mice, let alone humans. But if people respond to the chemicals the way rats and mice do to low calories, human lives could be extended by 30 per cent.
The Age, 26/8/03.
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