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Anti-Inflammatory Foods and Aging
Resveratrol (the red wine compound) is an anti-inflammatory
Many of the beneficial effects of red wine that have been suggested to be due to resveratrol. Resveratrol is made by plants in response to disease. So resveratrol is an anti-inflammatory compound that is effective in both plants and humans.
Resveratrol has been shown to have both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Major sources of resveratrol are red wine (present, but at lower levels in white wine) red grapes, peanuts, red and black grape juice, cranberries and juice, and blueberries.
There are wide differences in the levels of resveratrol in any fuit or product from different varieties and sources. Additionally the method of any processing, that has been done, affects the levels. Cooking is thought to destroy about half of the resveratrol, though one source shows higher levels of resveratrol in boiled than raw peanuts.
Resveratrol capsules are available in different strengths. A few contain grape extracts but most are made from Japanese knotweed (huzhang), which has been used in Chinese medicine for many years.
Catechins
Catechins, catechin and related compounds, (which have catechin in their name, e.g. epicatechin), are predominantly found in tea and cocoa.
All types of tea made from the tea plants contain catechins. The cacao bean, itself, has much higher levels of catechins than leaves of the tea plant, but the level of catechins in cocoa products varies greatly. It depends of the amount of cacao that is in the product and the how it is processed. Cocoa is quite bitter so it is often treated with alkali, a process known as Dutching to make the final product less bitter. Dutch processing of cocoa destroys some of the catechins, as well as other beneficial compounds. However, even after processing there are still significant levels of catechins. Mars has developed a process which is supposed to mellow cocoa with less destruction of catechins and other beneficial flavanols. The process is known a Cocoapro®. An example of a Cocoapro® treated product is Dove Extra Dark Chocolate, 71% Cacao.
Remember that most cocoa products are high calorie. The Dove bar is about 3 1/2 ounces and has 600 calories. Eat a little bit every day. Though tea does not have as high a level of catechins as cocoa, being low calorie or calorie-free, depending on how it is made, means that much more can be consumed. A regular tea drinker gets moderate levels of catechins every day.
Lower levels of catechins are found in most fruits, vegetables and wine.
Quercetin
Quercetin is another compound that is both anti-inflammatory and an antioxidant.
Quercetin is found in a range of foods. It is present at high levels in most uncooked berries (wild fruits generally have higher levels than cultivated), kale, cocoa powder, tea, onions, tomatoes, broccoli and red grapes. Both red wine and apples have moderate levels of quercetin. Another reason for eating an apple a day and having a glass of wine a day!
