Is Resveratrol really the ‘Fountain of Youth’?

During our winter health and fitness craze, my husband and I have done a few fun dinner parties with healthy-ish themes. Seriously, we will try anything to keep it creative. Our latest: a red wine resveratrol dinner party. And, of course, don’t forget to keep moderation in moderation.

Why resveratrol? Well, it’s the often hyped yet completely under-looked super antioxidant. Here’s why. Thoughts are trans-resveratrol found in the skins of red grapes, cranberries, blueberries, raspberries, mulberries, peanuts, pistachios and even dark chocolate, acts as a major blood flow booster which in turn provides protective support to one’s cardiovascular health – keeping your heart pumping nice and strong. Resveratrol also lowers LDL (low density lipoproteins), the bad type of cholesterol. It is also responsible for cell replication, and being a powerful antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties, it helps slow down the ageing process. Some have even called it the ‘Fountain of Youth’. We’ll have a cup (or two!) of that.

Here’s how to host your own resveratrol dinner party with maximum resveratrol consumption.

SERVE THIS:

Pre-dinner snacks: Skin on peanuts

Dinner: Lean lamb steaks cooked in a blackberry, blueberry and cranberry sauce served with steamed green beans and toasted sliced pistachios. One of my favourite green bean recipes is from Dr. David Perlmutter’s book GRAIN BRAIN (in the back recipe section with almonds, so just substitute those with pistachios to hit your resveratrol quota). Serve the lamb on a bed of mashed cauliflower and celeriac instead of mashed potatoes, but only if you’re going carb free (as I do being a Type 1 diabetic). Otherwise, eat the potatoes!

Dessert: Crushed chunks of dark Valrhona chocolate served drizzled with fresh raspberries and crème fraiche.

Drink: Pinot Noir or wine from the St. Laurent region, as both of these varietals are thought to have the highest amounts of resveratrol available.

The entire menu is simple to prepare and utterly delicious. Yum!