An enzyme long thought to be a cancer-causing agent could in fact
provide a clue to tackling the disease, UK scientists suspect. Researchers
from De Montfort University believe that the enzyme CYP1B1 converts
the molecule resveratrol, found in red wine and peanuts, into an anti-cancer
agent. Resveratrol has been shown to have cancer preventative properties
but it has been unclear how it prevents tumour growth.
Red Wine and Chocolate
good for You
Both red wine and Chocolate contain a substance
that is proving to promise great health benefits... Researchers at
University of California, Davis, have demonstrated that catechin,
the most abundant polyphenol (a category of plant-based compounds)
in grape skins and seeds, significantly delays tumour onset in laboratory
mice predisposed to Cancer. Only red wines, which remain in contact
with skins and seeds during fermentation, contain significant amounts
of the antioxidant.
Catechin is also found in large quantities in chocolate
In addition to the latest news about red wine, Carl Keen, chairman
of the department of nutrition at UC Davis, presented research on
the potential role of chocolate in human nutrition. According to Keen,
"Cocoa is one of the richest dietary sources of flavonoids, including
catechin and epicatechin - almost 10 percent by weight, depending
upon how it is processed.
Alcohol in Moderation may
benefit Brain
In a study, researching the mental abilities and
alcohol use of 15,807 Italian men and women 65 years of age or older,
researchers concluded that moderate alcohol use was associated with
a lower risk of brain impairment...
This study shows that among older persons, moderate
alcohol intake protects from the development of cognitive impairment,
said lead author Dr.Giuseppe Zuccala of the Catholic University of
the Sacred Heart in Rome.
"However," he cautioned in a statement,
"alcohol abuse... is associated with an increased risk of cognitive
dysfunction."
They found that among the more than 8,700 regular
drinkers, 19 percent, the heavy drinkers, showed signs of mental impairment-compared
with 29 percent of the roughly 7,000 non-drinkers in the study.
A glass of wine before
bed may Aid Conception
A Danish scientific study has found that women who
do not drink at all can actually take longer to become pregnant than
those who drink up to two alcoholic beverages a day...
The findings have contradicted previous studies
that suggested that even low levels of alcohol intake can increase
the time it takes for a woman to get pregnant.
But the new study - a major work based on research
on nearly 40,000 women - found that even high alcohol intake had no
negative impact on women who had never given birth before .
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