Perhaps you heard the echo of a scream early in the morning last week. We didn’t mean to alarm you, but something horrible was happening. We were reading an article telling us that the latest research indicates that red wine and dark chocolate are not the super foods we have so erroneously been lead to believe.

And oh, the pain.

You know we got to the bottom of this topic fast. Here’s what we found. Brace yourselves.

Resveratrol, the (former?) wonder compound

What generally got red wine and dark chocolate lauded for their health properties is a compound they both contain called resveratrol. Resveratrol is also found in a number of fruits and vegetables. It became a big player in health care, including skin care, when a landmark study found that it was associated with less inflammation, reduced cases of cardiovascular disease and cancer, and increased longevity.

That all sounds promising, so what’s the snag?

Simply put, in 2012 one of the leading researchers in the field of resveratrol was accused of fabricating data. According to a host of other researchers, his test results weren’t real. When a different researcher named Richard Semba concluded his 16-year study on a group of 783 elderly Italians who consume a diet rich in resveratrol, he found the resveratrol to have had no effect on the subjects’ quality of life.

So the verdict is?

At this point, a lot of people are concluding that resveratrol provides no health benefits. We personally think further research is required since we’re still talking one study vs. one other study, but for now, we have to side with the experts.

This isn’t to say there are no benefits to drinking red wine or enjoying a moderate amount of dark chocolate. They both still contain the antioxidant catechin. And they both still lead to stress relief, we simply must believe.

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