Organic Grapes and Wine

By Gabor Timis

Grapes are topping the list of the most chemically sprayed (with insecticides, herbicides, fungicides) categories of produce on the market, so it is important to look for organic grapes when grocery shopping.

Grapes are healthy. Recent research shows that resveratrol is the chemical that is beneficial to our health. Resveratrol is mainly found in the skin of red grapes. It is believed to have the following benefits:
- Anti-cancer
- Anti-viral
- Anti-aging
- Anti-inflammatory
- Neuro-protective
- Life prolonging.

Red wine has a good amount of resveratrol. For best health effects, buy organic wine.
Organic wine is wine which is cultivated and processed with only organic natural ingredients.

Strict rules govern the winemaking process such as hand-harvesting, the types of yeasts that can be used during fermentation and storage conditions in the vineyards of all imported and domestic wines that acquire certification.

Chemical-free grape cultivation and wine production also promotes a healthier environment by minimizing energy and water consumption and eliminating chemical run-off in our water supplies.

Many winemakers favor the use of sulfites, in extremely small quantities, to help stabilize wines, while others frown on them completely.
Wines labeled “organic” cannot contain added sulfites. Wines that have added sulfites, but are otherwise organic, are labeled “wine made from organic grapes.”

Red wine is not only a good source of resveratrol, but also of procyanidins.
Procyanidins are basically condensed tannins (the compound in wine that gives it a bitter flavor). Research has found that procyanidins:
- Boost good cholesterol (HDL)
- Help prevent blood clots
- Promote healthy endothelium (the tissues that lines blood vessels and your heart)

Studies have also found that procyanidins limit production of a compound which is responsible for hardening your arteries.

Enjoy organic wine in moderation, as part of a healthy lifestyle.