The French know and love their red wine. What they may not know are the health benefits offered up in each and every glass. Despite diets typically high in saturated fat, the French have relatively low incidences of heart disease and they may be living longer and feeling younger. They could have the wine to thank for that because of a relatively unknown antioxidant found in the beverage: resveratrol.

Many people are familiar with the term antioxidant. Antioxidants do just what their name implies - remove potentially damaging oxidizing agents from a living organism. Oxygen, while needed for life on a whole, deteriorates living organisms over time. It can also take its toll on the body, leaving it susceptible to disease and speeding up the aging process. The medical community has determined that a diet high in antioxidant-rich foods is important for overall health and for anti-aging purposes. Known as "nature's sponge," antioxidants absorb and remove harmful free radicals from the body, and generally promote youthful vigor and improved general health.

Foods full of antioxidants tend to be vibrant colored fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants are also found in olive oil, flax seed, tea, and other foods and beverages. An antioxidant making headlines these days is resveratrol, found in the skin of grapes, and thus red wine. Because red wine is fermented with grape skins longer than is white wine, red wine contains more resveratrol. But drinking wine is not the only, nor optimal way to get the resveratrol the body needs.

David Sinclair is a Harvard medical researcher who has spearheaded studies into the effects of resveratrol on mice and people. He recently appeared on a Barbara Walters television special expounding on the benefits of resveratrol, including it's propensity to reverse some signs of aging. He explained to Walters that the benefits to drinking wine are there, but a person would have to consume 100 to 1000 bottles of red wine to equal the amount of the resveratrol needed for profound health improvements. Therefore, he has found a way to isolate resveratrol and concentrate it so that it can be used in supplement form.

In lab mice trials, scientists demonstrated that it kept overfed mice from gaining weight, improved physical endurance and speed, and seemed to slow down their aging process. For individuals looking for a fountain of youth and to bolster overall health, resveratrol used in conjunction with other antioxidants just may be the way to go.

When Dr. Michael Pinkus, founder of the antioxidant supplement Ultimate RedsŪ heard about the health benefits of resveratrol he just had to add the ingredient to his product. His Ultimate Reds is one of the most powerful sources of fruit and vegetable anti-oxidants available today because it incorporates 24 natural antioxidants - and now resveratrol. The product is actually a flavorful powder that mixes into a great tasting beverage so it's easily absorbed and starts working right away

When used in conjunction with a balanced low-fat diet and exercise, Ultimate Reds can go a long way to promoting vigor and health.

* To learn more about using antioxidants and Ultimate Reds, visit www.drnewtons.com or call 1-800-363-2380 and mention code VL71.