An article in Wine Spectator about research showing that extracts from grape seeds can kill both leukemia cells and fat cells in a controlled laboratory environment quoted MaryAnne Della-Fera,
a research scientist at UGA.
“I think most nutritionists recommend eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in order to have adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals,” Della-Fera said.
“However, it may be equally important in providing a wider exposure to flavonoids and other compounds that help keep us healthy. . . . If someone enjoys having an occasional glass of wine, there’s no real need to call it a ‘medicinal food,’ just an enjoyable food. Moderate consumption of wine, particularly red wine, is thought to have beneficial health effects, possibly due to the presence of grape polyphenols such as resveratrol, but no one really knows what the basis of this health effect is.”