2. Dr Cabernet Prescribes A Little Tipple
(Source: bbr.com)

A multitude of studies have long indicated that moderate alcohol drinking helps to reduce the risk of heart disease, colds and even promote longevity. Red wine, a key staple of the Mediterranean diet long-associated with good health, has received the most praise as a grape of good hope.

Yet the ultimate Dr. Feelgood title, according to scientists from the London School of Medicine, St Barts and Queen Mary University in London , belongs to Cabernet Sauvignon. Tests revealed a mechanism which hinders the bodily production of artery-clogging chemicals, or a protein named endothelin-1 (ET-1), which can lead to artery disease and subsequent heart attacks. Dr Roger Corder at St Barts states: 'What we are proposing is the mechanism that could explain why red wine is a better alcoholic beverage to consume than others.'

Chemicals called polyphenols were found in Cabernet Sauvignon grapes which decreased the production of ET-1 in artery walls. Within the red wines which were subsequently tested amongst white, rose and non-alcoholic varieties, there was a strong correlation between the inhibited production of ET-1 and the amount of polyphenols within the wine, with Cabernet cruising ahead.