The concept of the Blue Zones is tantalizing. Several areas on this earth have an abundance of centenarians: Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica; and Icaria, Greece. In four places, people include a glass or two of wine daily with their meals.
New Research
According to Saul Justin Newman, a senior researcher at the University College London Centre for Longitudinal Studies, there are no “Blue Zones”. These are only places riddled with bad record keeping. Some family members never fill out death certificates so they can keep claiming the dead person’s pension.
“In general, the claims about how long people are living mostly don’t stack up” he writes. He tracked down 80% of the people aged over 100 in the world and of those, almost none have a birth certificate. In the US there are over 500 of these people; seven have a birth certificate. Even worse, only about 10% have a death certificate.
Take Okinawa. “There was a Japanese government review in 2010, which found that 82% of the people aged over 100 turned out to be dead. The problem in Greece in Italy is that there are thousands of people fraudulently collecting pensions on behalf of dead relatives.
Mediterranean Diet
The evidence is still clear that wine, in moderation, is an important component of the Mediterranean diet. This year, for the seventh year running, US News & World Report ranked the Mediterranean diet the healthiest in the world. Among its vocal proponents is Spanish researcher Professor Ramon Estruch, who also believes in the health benefits of wine when consumed in the context of the diet.
Prof Ramon Estruch’s background
-He became interested in the relationship between wine, nutrition, and health while working in a hospital, studying alcohol’s impact on the heart and brain.
– He witnessed the negative effects of heavy alcohol use firsthand.
-Currently, Prof Estruch is the President of the Foundation for Wine and Nutrition Research (FIVIN), a nonprofit organization funded by public and private sources that focuses on understanding wine’s health impacts.
FIVIN’s mission
– FIVIN compiles scientific research on the relationship between wine and health.
– Co-organized the 2023 Lifestyle, Diet, Wine & Health Congress in Toledo, Spain, with global experts on wine and health.
– Recent research casts doubt on whether moderate wine consumption has health benefits, but Prof Estruch argues that moderate wine consumption with the Mediterranean diet has clear benefits.
Mediterranean diet’s health impact
– Based on the eating habits of Southern Italy, Spain, and Crete, the Mediterranean diet helps lower heart disease and chronic conditions.
– Key components: legumes, vegetables, olive oil, fish, cheese, yogurt, red meat, and wine.
Estruch has explored the “J-curve” effect, where moderate drinkers show better health outcomes than non-drinkers or heavy drinkers.
– A large-scale trial investigating the impact of the Mediterranean diet on heart disease in high-risk individuals (7,447 participants, 57% women).
– Three groups were studied: one with extra-virgin olive oil, one with extra nuts, and one following a basic Mediterranean diet.
– The study, funded by the Spanish government, concluded that a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts reduced major cardiovascular events by 30%.
In summary, wine complements the Mediterranean diet by providing antioxidants and polyphenols that protect the heart, improve cholesterol levels, reduce inflammation, and lower cardiovascular risk. The diet’s holistic approach, combining wine with heart-healthy foods, promotes overall well-being when consumed in moderation.