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Wines from Southwestern France and Sardinia, the Key for Longevity

Researchers have suggested that red wines made in southwestern France and Sardinia are the drinks containing the highest levels of procyanidins, a compound that contributes to the decrease of health risks.

According to a new study published in the latest issue of journal "Nature," red wines from these areas have the highest concentration of procyanidins, as tests indicated that these wines contain five to even ten times more procyanidins than wines in other regions of the world like the US, Australia or Spain.

Previously published studies indicated that drinking red wine regularly, but in moderate quantities substantially lowers the risk of cardiovascular diseases, contributing to longevity. It was also shown that procyanidins, an ingredient found in red wines, is responsible for the protective effect.

"There is a 19th Century expression: 'A man is only as old as his arteries', which can be taken to mean that those with the healthiest arteries live longer. So it was of great interest to us when we found both in Sardinia and in south-west France that the wines made in these areas had higher levels of procyanidins," stated Professor Roger Corder at London's Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry, who contributed at the research.

According to the scientists, the traditional method used to make these wines holds the key, as it highly increases the levels of procyanidins.

"The traditional production methods used in Sardinia and south-western France ensure that the beneficial compounds, procyanidins, are efficiently extracted. This may explain the strong association between consumption of traditional tannic wines with overall wellbeing, reflected in greater longevity," suggested Roger Corder.

However, researchers outlined that they are not encouraging people to start drinking. It was indicated that regular physical exercise or healthy diets are more effective ways that lower the risk of heart diseases.