The red wine and chocolate diet

Want to double your energy, live longer, look better – and lose weight? Then try this delicious, Mediterranean-style healthy-eating plan, and still enjoy your favourite wine and chocolate! By Sarah Law

It sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? But according to health experts, wine and chocolate are healthy - in moderation, of course. They both contain plant chemicals called polyphenols, which have antioxidant, anti-ageing properties - red wine contains four times as much as white wine.

 

Research suggests that a glass of red wine a day can even help combat heart disease and diabetes. In fact, a Californian study published in 2003 found that deaths from coronary heart disease were 40-60 per cent lower among moderate red wine drinkers, while strokes were also reduced by 40 per cent.

 

Combine the odd glass of red wine with a Mediterranean-style diet, rich in fruit, fish and vegetables, and you'll enjoy a longer, healthier life, according to Professor Roger Corder of the William Harvey Research Institute in London, and author of The Wine Diet (Sphere, £9.99). Twenty-five years of research have convinced him that the longevity of southern Europeans is linked to drinking red wine, as well as their healthy diet. ‘Chemicals in the seeds of red wine grapes help improve the condition of blood vessels, contributing to lower blood pressure and improved cardiovascular health,' he explains. ‘The same principle applies to chocolate with a high cocoa content. Cocoa beans are actually one of the best natural sources of antioxidant procyanadins, a sub-group of polyphenols.' Look for chocolate containing 70 per cent or more cocoa solids, such as Divine 70% Dark Chocolate (95p for 100g) or Lindt Excellence 85% Cocoa (£1.79 for 100g).

 

For wine to be beneficial, you have to choose the ‘right' one. Higher alcohol content means more sugar - bad news for anyone watching their calorie intakeProfessor Corder's eating plan is based on making better, well informed choices - drinking good-quality red wine, rather than white, and opting for dark chocolate instead of oversweet milk varieties. This plan is not designed for rapid weight loss, but as a healthy eating plan for a longer life. However, if you have a lot of weight to lose, and are currently on a high-calorie, unhealthy diet, you could drop up to 5lb in the first week.

 

How to choose the right wine

‘For wine to be beneficial, you have to choose the ‘right' one,' advises Professor Corder. ‘Higher alcohol content means more sugar - bad news for anyone watching their calorie intake.' He recommends that women should have up to 200ml (1 small glass) of 15% alcohol wine a day.

So which varieties give the best health benefits? Wine makers quote the IPT (index of total phenolics, which measures procyanadin levels) in their technical data. In general, the higher the IPT, the healthier the wine. So try:

Wynns Cabernet Sauvignon, Australia

Cono Sur Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Chile

Most red wines from Bordeaux, France

Langhe Nebbiolo De Forville, Italy

 

Where to cut calories

If you stick to simple goals, weight loss will happen gradually and naturally. And if you're overweight, you could even lose up to 5lb in your first week. Cutting out just 200 calories a day will eventually make a difference. To give you an idea of how easy this can be, just look at the calorie content of these snacks: 

Pint of beer = 190 calories

Bagel, croissant = 200-300 calories

Popcorn (100g) = 400 calories

35g potato crisps = 190 calories

Small portion chips/fries = 300 calories

 

To find out more about the eating plan, see 'The Wine Diet' by Roger Corder (Sphere, £9.99) 

 

Click here for a fortnight's menu plans for the red wine and chocolate diet