Article describes the potential of full-spectrum MegaNatural^® Red Wine Grape Extract
Red wine has long been implicated in the health benefits and longevity associated with the Mediterranean diet. Given this, Polyphenolics set out to isolate those compounds in red wine that have been implicated in having health-promoting properties, so that we could provide them as a dietary supplement. MegaNatural^® Red Wine Grape Extract is the result of that project. NutraIngredients-USA Author Hank Schultz caught up with Polyphenolics President James A. Kennedy, Ph.D. during SupplySide West 2017 to discuss the many potential benefits of this full-spectrum standardized extract, which go beyond cardiovascular health.

Much more than resveratrol … much more than heart health
In his article, Schultz explains that red wine is considered the key pillar of the French Paradox, a term describing the observation that despite their penchant for fatty foods, the French have a relatively low incidence of coronary heart disease. While early researchers credited the resveratrol found in red wine for this benefit, we’re now learning that the complex synergies between the dozens of polyphenolic compounds found in red wine may also play important roles.

Kennedy notes, “The picture with the function of red wine in the French Paradox was probably always much more complex than just how much resveratrol was being consumed.”

Schultz also confirms that the French Paradox is just the starting point. He writes that recent research has, “expanded the benefits of polyphenols beyond cardiovascular benefits and have looked at the brain health and gut health benefits of these substances as well.”

With MegaNatural Red Wine Grape Extract, Polyphenolics is seeking to capture the synergies of the polyphenols found in red wine. “It’s going back to the Mediterranean diet and how red wine is often used,” comments Kennedy. He notes that studies have looked at phenolic classes found in red wine – including proanthocyanidins, anthocyanins and flavonols. And while more research is needed to understand the relationships between these various constituents, Kennedy points out that a full-spectrum extract encompasses the phenolics found in red wine.

Delivering red wine’s phenolic synergies without the alcohol
A 200mg dose of MegaNatural Red Wine Grape Extract is formulated to be equivalent to the phenol levels found in a six-ounce glass of red wine, without the alcohol. Schultz comments that this may appeal to adults who are abstaining from alcohol but who want the potential health benefits of moderate wine drinking.  As the food that we eat has long been associated with general health and longevity, MegaNatural Red Wine Grape Extract will also appeal to those who want to ensure that they consistently benefit from the polyphenols found in the Mediterranean diet.