The Wine Diet [Paperback]

The 'Wine Diet' is an interesting and worthwhile addition to the multitude of diet books that abound nowadays. Diet books that are fairly often of dubious quality, but not this one. Prof. Roger Corder, an expert researcher in cardiovascular health in relation to wines, gives very practical advise on the best red wines to choose for vascular health effects. Of course wine consumption is needed in moderation (max. 1-2 glasses a day) and preferably with food.
His book is especially relevant for the prevention and treatment of the many modern chronic diseases with a strong endothelial dysfunction component of the vessels, like coronary heart disease, diabetes etc.
Corder recommends in particular the traditional Madiran wines in South-West France, which contain high amounts of polyphenols. These polyphenols powerfully stimulate the natural vasodilator Nitric Oxide (NO), essential for vascular health. There is also very sensible advise on other 'Food for Health' topics based on sound scientific research, like the dark chocolate and (unprocessed) cacao powder drink recommendation.

He has worthwhile things to say about longevity, but the claim that the people in the Madiran region have the best longevity record in France, because of their red wine consumption, is dubious as longevity is influenced by many different factors.
Furthermore, his opinion on the super polyphenol resveratrol is not completely up-to-date. Although resveratrol levels in general are very low in most red wines, this is not always true especially in the some Pinot Noir and Muscadine wines. More importantly new research has made clear that resveratrol cooperates with other polyphenols (e.g. quercetine) and is being metabolized to various active substances, resulting in health effects at lower levels than previously thought.
Nevertheless, this is a really good book with lots of practical advise and supported by an extensive list of research literature.
As a public physician in the prevention of chronic disease, I have no hesitation in recommending this book.

If you have ever wondered about the 'French Paradox' and what benefits red wine can offer, you must read this book.The Wine Diet

I found that Prof. Roger Corder's book was most interesting, but as a diet "pundit",he had reiterated all that had been said before, although his "slant" was somewhat different.
Diet followers already know that red wine, in small doses are beneficial, but I was bogged down with the chemistry "lesson" of the usefulness of "procyanidins" against heart disease, cancers, erection dysfunction, etc., which took at least 5 chapters with mentions in chapter 10.

As a diet book and I've read a few I rate it about 6 out of 10 - about the same as "Nutrition for Dummies", which certainly had a "fun" factor.