Every so often, you will hear various statements that sound interest, but are often wrong. For instance, everyone knows you should not go swimming for an hour after eating. Of course, this rule of thumb is wrong, but there you are.



In some cases, the rumor or rule of thumb has some basis in fact. Red wine, for instance, has often been touted as preventing certain forms of cancer. The basis for this has often been the country of France, where cancer rates are low and red wine is a favorite beverage.

For the longest time, red wine as a preventative drink was ignored. After all, we all know rumors of the benefits of red wine. French people have low incidents of cancer and drink lots of wine, so it must do something. Turns out that it very well does.

Unlike white wine, red wine is packed full with certain chemicals that are anti-oxidants. These biological components are loosely referred to as polyphenols. Within this catch-all phrase are catechins, resveratrol and other anti-oxidants.

The magic substance is found in the grapes, but not where you would expect. It is not the juice or pulp. Nope. The seeds and skins are the key. They contain polyphenols, which are anti-oxidants.

Catechins are hugely vital to the prevention process. Why? Free radicals in your body are associated with mutations that can cause cancer, particularly aggressive cancer. Catechins essentially block free radicals from attacking health cells.

Ah, but red wine has another magic ingredient. It is called resveratrol. It is produced by grapes to fight off disease. It is effectively part of the immune system of a plant. Well, studies show it also attacks cancerous growths. Yes, it prevents the growth and spread of cancer.

It is important to understand all of these findings are preliminary results. While things look good, not enough studies have been conducted or even finished. Nonetheless, the few definitive findings are impressive.

When it comes to cancer and men, problems of the prostate are common. Well, drinking red wine may be the answer. Studies have shown that drinking a glass a day can cut the risk of this aggressive cancer by 50 percent. That is pretty amazing.

So, is red wine the cure-all for cancer? Probably not. Further tests will flesh out the details, but there is no denying that a glass of red wine a day will help fight come forms of cancer.