Stilbenes (resveratrol)
Polyphenols
The molecule the vine makes to defend itself, concentrated in grape skin.
The quantities actually present in a food are very small: treat it as a curiosity, not as a lever.
Effects and benefits
The molecule the vine makes when attacked, made famous for extending the lives of yeast and mice. In humans, trials mostly show a small drop in blood pressure, at doses food does not provide.
Resveratrol is a weapon: the vine produces it when a fungus attacks or UV light strikes. Black grapes, blackberries, blueberries and peanuts contain it, in small amounts.
In 2003, it made headlines by extending the lives of yeast, then of mice fed too much fat (Howitz et al., 2003; Baur et al., 2006). In humans, the story is more modest: meta-analyses of trials show a slight drop in blood pressure from 150 mg a day as a supplement (Liu et al., 2015), the equivalent of dozens of kilos of grapes.
It is transformed very quickly: the liver and the microbiota turn it into derivatives within minutes, and those are what circulate (Walle et al., 2004).
Sources: Howitz et al., Nature, 2003 · Baur et al., Nature, 2006 · Liu et al., Clin Nutr, 2015 · Walle et al., 2004
Where to find it (5)
- Blueberry
- Grape
- Lingonberry
- Peanut
- Red wine