A Sunday roast just isn’t the same without a lovely glass of red wine and now it appears a cheeky sup of claret will actually diminish the unhealthy effects of eating red meat.

According to scientists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, a glass of red wine can prevent the build-up of cholesterol after a meal of dark or red meat.

The study indicated that antioxidants known as polyphenols present in the wine can prevent harmful compounds from being absorbed in the gut so they are therefore stopped from entering the blood stream where harm subsequently occurs.

Over a period of four days, 14 volunteers were served a series of meals of dark turkey cutlets, while a smaller group of the same individuals repeated the diet but each meal was accompanied with a glass of red wine.

Participants who ate the meat alone had increased levels of a compound known as malondialdehyde that modifies the levels of cholesterol in their blood.

After just four days of eating the meat, the levels of modified cholesterol had increased by 97 per cent. Modified cholesterol levels like those aforementioned are responsible for hardening arteries and creating plaques that lead to heart disease, which also explains why red wine has frequently been found to reduce the risk of heart problems.

According to the study published in the Journal of Functional Foods, the levels of modified cholesterol in those participants who ate their meat with a glass of red wine either remained unchanged or in some cases actually decreased.

Ron Kohen, from the institute of drug research at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, told the Daily Telegraph: “Meat is rich in polyunsaturated fat and cholesterol. Our results could provide an explanation for the association between frequent meat consumption and increased risk in developing cardiovascular diseases.

“Including polyphenol-rich products as an integral part of the meal significantly diminishes these harmful effects,” Prof. Kohen said.

( http://vinoenology.com )