So many people seem to be going out of their way in order to die miserable and hungry.

Give me two fingers of bourbon and a five pack of Peeps.

Yes at the same time. They complement each other.

Dark chocolate

Look for dark chocolate that contains 70 percent cocoa. “It counts as a health food,” Dr. Oz says. The reason: This high-quality, slightly bitter chocolate contains flavonoids (natural chemicals with antioxidant properties) that improve blood vessel function. Enjoy an ounce or two a day. Pass on milk chocolate, though—“It’s actually not chocolate, just milk fat with a chocolate coating,” he says.

Cheers to Red Wine

It’s an integral part of culture, history and anthropology. Enjoying it is an art form – both in tasting practice and culinary preparation. There are many reasons to appreciate wine, but did you know that from an anti-aging point of view, it’s one of the best things that you can do for your health?

From Mediterranean vineyards to the bottle rack in your kitchen, red wine has been enjoyed for centuries. Almost synonymous with a cultured palate, it’s hard not to appreciate the taste and texture of a glass of red wine. You might be surprised to find that this sophisticated drink is loaded with anti-aging benefits for your body – inside and out.

The magic comes from red wine’s antioxidants. The dark skin and seeds of the grapes are rich in polyphenols, a type of antioxidant that includes resveratrol. They protect cell membranes and have anti-inflammatory properties.

Red wine is full of them because the grapes’ skin and seeds are part of the fermenting process, as opposed to how grape juice is made, where skin and seeds are removed. The darker the wine, the better it is for you and your skin. The antioxidants in red wine soak up damaging free radicals that play a role in aging and age-related diseases.

Your Heart
Consuming just 1 glass of red wine a day for women and 2 glasses a day for men has been proven to provide a variety of benefits for your heart. If you have high cholesterol, you may have plaque buildup in your arteries, which can cause them to harden. Too much plaque will eventually stop blood flow and can cause a heart attack. Wine reduces cholesterol and inflammation to minimize this risk. It stabilizes the plaque by keeping those pathways open. Because it’s good for your arteries, it also helps to bring oxygen and blood to your skin.

Your Skin
Polyphenols protect the skin from UV light and keep it elastic. It also strengthens the cross-linking of collagen, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Studies also show that people who drink red wine have fewer cancerous skin lesions.

If you cannot consume alcohol, you can get these same benefits from a grapeseed oil scrub made from the seeds/skins of red wine grapes. You can also try eating dark chocolate, blueberries, or pomegranates – all of which have a high concentration of polyphenols and provide the same benefits.


(All of the above is from Dr. Oz's website.....not to mention the fact that he has repeatedly talked about the health benefits of DARK CHOCOLATE AND WINE......)

No matter what you say about chocolate it's still not a whole balanced food. It does contain flavonoids but it also, most often, contains refined sugar and ingesting sugar creates free radicals. Not to mention the extra calories. As far as flavonoids go, you can get all you need from fruits, berries, vegetables (especially green and red), grains, certain nuts and beans. Flavonoids are everywhere in a healthy vegan diet and do not come with refined sugar.

To be continued:

a balanced diet; A 12 oz. ribeye in one hand and a beer in the other. :oops:

Continued from above:
 

Senior citizen,

Everything you said about red wine, such as antioxidants and polyphenols, is true of richly colored unrefined vegetables, fresh fruits, legumes and whole grains.

Yes, but richly colored unrefined vegetables, fresh fruits, legumes and whole grains don't make me feeeeeel so good. I'll take my veges with a glass of a good cab any day.

There are obviously two sides to the "balanced diet" issue. And by the way, I think you can have nutritional balance and emotional balance, and not everyone has both.

Two sides:
1. Those who are adamant that natural plant foods provide everything we need nutritionally and will ensure we enjoy a superior lifestyle for a long, long time.
2. Those of us who feel that ... everything in moderation ..... is the way to roll. And that attitude and laughter and friends and a passion for life are just as important as a vegetarian diet. And that enjoying a glass of wine or yoghurt with friends or an occasional steak will enhance their experience of life.

Nuff said. Never the twain shall meet. To each his own. There are two sides to every story. Let sleeping dogs lie. Just sayin.

Let's try to understand the intent of this thread. I think this thread is about discovering what in the world of nutrition is technically correct. Whether a person wants to do it, likes to do it, actually does it or is likely to do it is another story. Most people, obviously, will choose "moderation" which is another word for cheating. :-)

Most people, obviously, will choose "moderation" which is another word for cheating.

Hmmn. You callin' folk cheaters? I call them and me epicurean. :)

I just want to know why Carney125 started this thread and now that everyone is all riled up Carney125 has never had anything to add. Wonder if this was a bait 'em and see what happens.

By George, I think you've got it.

Gracie, U asked about cows.....as to why I ....

I gave U well thought out answer and yet you have no retort, cat gottcha tongue, or should I say cow have you tongue? :a20:

Extreme long life of those in Georgia (the country), Russia and the Balkans was always attributed to their diet of yoghurt.

My Ukrainian mom ate yoghurt every day of her life for 91 + years.
She never broke a bone or had any type of joint replacement surgery.
Never took Boniva or Fosamax, etc.

That's only an anecdote so I'm not sure it really proves anything. And long life was attributed to yogurt by yogurt commercials on TV. I remember those commercials as I'm sure many others do. Are we supposed to base our judgements on commercials and anecdotes?

Many observtional studies have been done comparing communities around the world. Wherever dairy consumption is high, bone health is poor. But, again, most people will just go on believing the commercials.

May I ask , "What exactly makes you such an expert on other people's parents?" If my mother ate yoghurt mostly every day of her life from childhood to old age......never broke a bone even though she'd fall on ice and snow.....walked all over town with the speed of a teenager, never had to take the modern bone building drugs such as Boniva and Fosamax......never had a hip replacement or a knee replacement and passed at 91 which is a ripe old age, how can you say her bone health is poor? Just wondering.

You have a bad habit of taking everything someone says and picking it apart..........or else taking it out of context. I was NOT referring to any commercials at all, but to something I'd read doing my genealogy research.

For your information, most people do eat yoghurt daily nowadays, including the little ones.

Although I do know people who are vegans and vegetarians, most people eat a diet of moderation and partake of a wide variety of foods.

It would be totally joyless to invite folks over for a big pot of KALE.