Wine and chocolate both contain flavonoids, antioxidants, and other substances which may help the body protect itself against aging, heart disease, cancer, and other diseases. Because of the abundance of antioxidants, consisting of vitamins A, C, and E, and polyphenols, it may help prevent heart disease by increasing levels of "good" cholesterol and protecting against artery damage.

Flavonoids help modify the body’s reaction to allergens, viruses, and carcinogens.  They have anti-inflammatory properties, and they are powerful antioxidants, protecting against free radical damage.  Reactions between free radicals and DNA are thought to be the root cause of many forms of cancer.  Free radical damage to cells can also cause aging, and may be linked to Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer’s. 

These antioxidants are found in a variety of foods, including oranges, grape juice, apples, onions, tea and cocoa. Other types of alcohol, such as white wine and beer, contain small amounts, too, but red wine has higher levels. (See below for red vs. white)

Nonflavonoids. These antioxidants found in red wine have recently been of particular interest because they appear to help prevent arteries from becoming clogged with fatty blockages. However, these studies mostly involved mice — not humans. Resveratrol is the nonflavonoid that's received the most attention from researchers.

Resveratrol might be a key ingredient in red wine that helps prevent damage to blood vessels, reduces "bad" cholesterol and prevents blood clots. However, most research on resveratrol has been conducted on animals, not people. Resveratrol also naturally stimulates the sirtuins—genes that help mop up free radicals, stabilize blood glucose levels, and otherwise make our cells healthier. To produce significant life-extending effects, though, you would probably need to drink 5 to 15 glasses of red wine a day. Long before you’d benefit from cellular rejuvenation, you’d be facing liver and other organ damage.

Don’t Overindulge. Longevity scientists recommend drinking more than one or two glasses of red wine a day, because too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. 

 “Better to get your antioxidants from a range of healthy sources than to overindulge in any one of them,” says Bickford. Drinking too much increases your risk of high blood pressure, high triglycerides, liver damage, obesity, certain types of cancer, accidents and other problems. You should AVOID alcohol if:

• You have heart failure or a weak heart
• You take aspirin daily
• You are pregnant (for obvious reasons; even though I’ve talked to several pregnant women whose doctor said a glass of wine once in a while is ok)

FDA recommends drinking 1-2 glasses/day for women and 2-3 glasses/day for men, because men generally weigh more and have more of an enzyme that metabolizes alcohol than women do. Plus (THIS IS SCARY!) according to a book called Women Under the Influence, women get addicted to alcohol quicker easier than men, so ladies watch your drinking!!! 

Red vs. White. Red wine is fermented with grape skins longer than is white wine, red wine contains more resveratrol. Simply eating grapes, or drinking grape juice, has been suggested as one way to get resveratrol without drinking alcohol. Some studies have suggested that red and purple grape juices have some of the same heart-healthy benefits of red wine.

Not a fan of wine? Not to worry! Moderate amounts of ALL types of alcohol benefit your heart, not just alcohol found in red wine:

• Raises high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol

• Reduces the formation of blood clots
• Helps prevent artery damage caused by high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol

Fun Wine Fact: In the 1990’s many Americans became enamored with wine drinking as a result of a documentary called “The French Paradox”, which investigated the fact that heart disease is less common in France than it is in the U.S.  The French attribute this to their high consumption of wines. 

Chocolate contains flavonoids, potent antioxidants that possess “a very good ability to clear free radicals and protect against inflammation, which helps in protecting your heart,” says diet and aging researcher Paula Bickford, Ph.D. Indeed. One study found that people who ate 1.6 ounces of dark chocolate a day (about four squares, or 220 calories’ worth) for two weeks gained strong antioxidant benefits.

Is Chocolate Making Me Fat? You will have to cut something else out of your diet—or run two to three miles a day—to justify those extra calories. One bar of dark chocolate has around 400 calories. Instead, add a teaspoon of plain cocoa powder (which has fewer calories and no sugar) to chili or other Southwestern recipes. Or treat yourself to one square of dark chocolate a day—60 percent or 70 percent cocoa is ideal because it has less sugar and higher levels of flavonoids than chocolate with lower levels of cocoa.

Despite its heart protective properties, don’t forget that chocolate still contains calories!

The fats in chocolate are 1/3 oleic acid, 1/3 stearic acid and 1/3 palmitic acid:

• Oleic Acid is a healthy monounsaturated fat that is also found in olive oil.
• Stearic Acid is a saturated fat but one which research is shows has a neutral effect on cholesterol.
• Palmitic Acid is also a saturated fat, one which raises cholesterol and heart disease risk.

That means only 1/3 of the fat in dark chocolate is bad for you.

Other Benefits of Dark Chocolate

• it tastes good
• it stimulates endorphin production, which gives a feeling of pleasure
• it contains serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant
• it contains theobromine, caffeine and other substances which are stimulants

Dark, Milk or White? Dark chocolate has far more antioxidants than milk or white chocolate. Dark chocolate has 65 percent or higher cocoa content.

Chocolate Eating Tips:

• Avoid drinking milk - shows that washing your chocolate down with a glass of milk could prevent the antioxidants being absorbed or used by your body
• Skip the fillings - You should look for pure dark chocolate or dark chocolate with nuts, orange peel or other flavorings. Avoid anything with caramel, nougat or other fillings. These fillings are just adding sugar and fat which erase many of the benefits you get from eating the chocolate.
• Taste It - Chocolate is a complex food with over 300 compounds and chemicals in each bite. To really enjoy and appreciate chocolate, take the time to taste it, savoring eeeeeaaaaach biiiiiteeeee!

Pairing Wine with Chocolate. One key to drinking wine healthfully may be pairing it with food.  In Europe, wine is not usually consumed as a drink all by itself, but is an integral part of the meal.  Learning to tell which wine goes well with different foods is a useful skill that you can develop through tasting, and experimentation. Here are a few tips on pairing wine and chocolate:

• Wine should be at least as sweet, if not a touch sweeter, than the chocolate you are serving it with.
• White chocolate would go perfectly with the Muscats, because of its sweet and buttery taste
• Milk chocolate would be great with Rieslings, any dessert wines or sparkling wine or Champagne
• Dark or bittersweet chocolates need a wine as bold as the chocolate itself, like Zinfandels or Cabernet Souvignon. Also consider a Pinor Noir or a Merlot to handle dark chocolate around the 55% cocoa mark

I’ve had the opportunity to work on the NCBA (National Cattleman Beef Assoc.) account for a few months now and every day I learn something new about beef and its benefits. Being a fan of lists, I decided to make one for the benefits of beef J 

·         Power of Protein - The protein in beef helps you maintain a healthy metabolism, but beef isn’t only useful in maintaining a healthy body. Studies suggest that the protein in beef may be help prevent many chronic diseases such as type-2 diabetes and osteoporosis. (According to the author 2010 Dietary Guidelines need to recognize the benefits associated with moderate protein intake and emphasize the right amount of protein at each meal.

·         Muscle Mass - A recent research review indicated that increasing daily high-quality protein intake may optimize muscle strength and metabolism, and ultimately improve overall health (According to American Journal of Clinical Nutrition)

·         Weight Management - Evidence suggests that a moderate increase in dietary protein in association with physical activity and a calorie-controlled diet may aid with weight management by increasing thermoneogenesis, which influences satiety and augments energy expenditure, helping maintain lean muscle mass and improve metabolic profile. (According to American Journal of Clinical Nutrition)

·         Heart Health - Research indicates that obese adults can lose weight and decrease their risk for metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes by following a moderate-carbohydrate, moderate-protein diet (carbohydrate ~40%; protein ~30%; fat ~30% of calories)

1.   A review of 54 studies provides substantial evidence that lean red meat, trimmed of visible fat, does not raise total blood cholesterol or LDL (bad) cholesterol levels

·         Bone Health – As much as we’d all like to think we will be young forever … we have to come to terms with the fact that we are aging. Recent evidence suggests that increasing dietary protein above the DRI of 0.8 g/kg/d may help maintain bone and muscle mass in older individuals. In addition, protein increases calcium absorption, which could be anabolic for bone.

·         Pregnancy – An important nutrient in beef that promotes brain and memory development in growing fetuses and newborn infants. A 3-ounce serving of lean beef is a good source of choline.

·         B VITAMINS – Again, we are going back to aging, but it’s important to consider that low vitamin B12 status is an important risk factor for loss of brain volume in elderly community-dwelling adults.

·         ZINC - Zinc is an essential nutrient, required for numerous metabolic functions, including translating gene information, growth and immunity. Manifestations of zinc deficiency include growth retardation, high rates of infection, skin lesions and impaired wound healing. Red meat, including beef, is a good source of bioavailable zinc as opposed to dietary zinc from plant sources which is less bioavailable.(According to Nutrition & Dietetics) 

·         IRON – An important public health issue of 4 million U.S. children who are iron-deficient, and childhood iron-deficiency anemia is associated with behavioral and cognitive delays.

So with that said, go beef up your diet and spring into season with these delicious recipes from The Beef Checkoff 

·         T-Bone Steak with Parmesan-Dusted Mushrooms

·         Ribeye Steaks and Seasoned Vegetable Kabobs

·         Farmer’s Market Steak Salad

For some more spring meal inspiration and more on beef recipes, storage guidelines and cooking tips, visit BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com. 

Happy April J