A compound found in red wine may reduce prostate cancer risk according to researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The study showed that mice who were fed a compound called resveratrol, which is found in red wine, had an 87 percent reduction in their risk of developing aggressive prostate tumors. The mice who gained the highest cancer-protection effect consumed resveratrol in a powdered formula mixed with their food for seven months.

Resveratrol can also be found in grapes, raspberries, peanuts and blueberries, in addition to red wine. An earlier study found that mice fed resveratrol had a reduction in their risk of breast cancer.

Lead author Coral Lamartiniere says that, "A cancer prevention researcher lives for these days when they can make that kind of finding. I drink a glass a day every evening because I'm concerned about prostate cancer. It runs in my family."

To ingest the same amount of resveratrol that the mice did, solely from red wine, an average person would have to drink a bottle a day.

Guys, here's another reason to have a glass of red wine with dinner: It can reduce the risk of prostate cancer. That's good news if you like red wine but I know some men, including my fella, think that drinking wine is not far from drinking turpentine, in terms of taste at least. But if you can stomach it, don't feel bad about enjoying a glass or two on a regular or semi-regular basis. It has lots of health benefits if you don't go overboard (notice I said a glass or two, not a glass or bottle.)

Should we be taking this recommendation seriously, do you think? Or do to risks associated with alcohol consumption outweigh the benefits?

According to University of Illinois, UIUC, Department of Food Science & Human Nutrition, FSHN, researchers report that drinking concord grape juice stops the formation of breast cancer tumors and reduces DNA damage to mammary glands.

"These studies indicate that specific constituents or combinations of phytochemicals in concord grape juice can block the initiation stage of tumor formation," stated Dr. Keith Singletary, Ph.D, FSHN professor. "In a related previous study, we saw a similar effect in what we call the promotion stage, a later stage in the development of cancer.  Taken together, the results are quite interesting and certainly merit additional study."

It is common knowledge that including fruits and vegetables in your daily diet is healthy for you, and that it can help in reducing the risk for cancers. Researchers have been looking specifically to plant substances called polyphenols. Polyphenols help protect against cancer by suppressing oxidative stress, inhibiting DNA damage to human cells, and slowing down the multiplication of cancer cells.  These compounds include anthocyanin pigments, which give fruits and vegetables their blue and purple colors. One food source that is rich in anthocyanins, and related compounds called proanthocyanidins, is concord grapes.

According to the USDA proanthocyanidin database, purple grape juice from concord grapes is higher in proanthocyanidins, on a per serving basis, than any other beverage tested, including red wine and cranberry juice cocktail. In addition, the total antioxidant capacity of concord grape juice is among the highest of all foods.

Red wine is again in the health news, this time regarding its benefits for preventing gum disease. The exact beneficial components are found in the tipple, called polyphenols, these are thought to target molecules which attack cells causing periodontal disease. Gum disease affects nearly 15% of people between the ages of 21 to 50, and increases to 65% for people over age 50. While the news is exciting, experts are warning against gargling with wine instead of a regular regimen of flossing and brushing. On the one hand moderate red wine consumption has been associated with a  reduction in the risk of heart attacks. But on the flip side, large intakes of red wine have been linked to mouth cancer. Another con for red wine is that long term exposure can actually cause enamel erosion due to the acidity. Red wine is not the only delectable to contain  polyphenols, they can also be found in cocoa and green tea.