Medicine and Wine - White wine contributes to the prevention of heart diseases

More recent examinations in other countries have discovered that the benefits credited to red wine are even greater. The protective effects of dry white wine are quite equal to red wine, by some criteria even superior.

Univ. Prof. Dr. Klaus Jung, sport physician at the University of Mainz, has been researching this theme for a long time. In several successively developing studies, Jung and his collaborators have proven in detail how the protective effects develop, especially of white wine: "Firstly, the 'bad' cholesterol LDL, which expedites arteriosclerosis is lowered, while the 'good', the heart protecting cholesterol HDL is increased. Secondly, polyphenols, which are only found in wine, have the organic connections, to which tannin and colouring matter belong too, for an antioxidant effect. This means they are neutralizing harmful oxygen radicals in the body. Thirdly, wine consumption is lowering fibrinogens, which are contributing to blood clot, thus guarding against dangerous thrombosis, embolism, heart- and brain infarct."

The research of Jung has shown, that particularly the third, the lowering of fibrinogenous components through white wine deserves special importance. However, he stresses the conclusion, that wine should not be used for therapeutic treatment of acute diseased states, but exclusively as a preventive (in the aforementioned moderate quantities).

The managing director of the Austrian Wine Marketing, Bertold Salomon is very satisfied with these most recent, precisely supported scientific results. "These examinations have succeeded in establishing moderate consumption of white wine as an unassailable health supporting means. This is an important additional benefit to the manifold enjoyments offered by Austrian white wines. We have to make every effort to appropriately announce and popularize this news, which recommends moderate white wine consumption for the prevention of heart diseases", says Salomon.