Resveratrol is a natural compound found in red grape skin, Japanese knotweed (polygonum cuspidatum), peanuts, blueberries and some other berries. It is a powerful antioxidant produced by some plants to protect them against environmental stresses. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, which are believed to be the cause of aging. Japanese knotweed is the plant source with the highest resveratrol content. Resveratrol protects a cell’s DNA. It is a powerful antioxidant. Antioxidants can help prevent cell damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are unstable atoms caused by pollution, sunlight and our bodies natural burning of fat that can lead to cancer, aging and brain degeneration.
Source of resveratol: A large amount of resveratrol is produced in the skin of grapes to protect the plant against fungal diseases and sun damage; therefore wine has higher levels of resveratrol compared to other natural food. Overall, red wine contains small amounts of resveratrol, less than 1 to 2 mg per 8 ounces of red wine. However, red wine has more resveratrol than white wine because red wines are fermented with the grape skins longer than white wines. Hence, many of the antioxidants including resveratrol that are naturally present in the grape skins are extracted into the wine.