Jan 15: A study by researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has discovered that drinking red wine with red meat can actually prevent the build-up of cholesterol in the body, adding this could be the reason why red wine has been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease.

The scientists found that after eating red or dark meat compounds called malondialdehyde accumulate in the blood stream. These help form the type of cholesterol (LDL) that may raise the risk of heart disease. But they discovered that when volunteers drank red wine, these compounds were not absorbed into the blood stream.

The researchers believe that this is because antioxidants known as polyphenols prevent these harmful compounds from being absorbed.

A group of volunteers was given dark turkey cutlets to eat over four days and was prohibited from eating any other type of meat or fish. Another group also ate the cutlets, but these were marinated in red wine instead. The wine drinkers were found to have lower levels of the harmful compound malondialdehyde in their blood.

After four meals, those who didn't consume the wine saw their modified cholesterol levels (LDL-associated with heart disease) rise by 97 per cent. But those who did saw their levels remain unchanged or actually decrease.

Lead researcher Professor Ron Kohen , Professor from the Institute of Drug Research at the University, told the Daily Telegraph: 'Meat is rich in polyunsaturated fat and cholesterol. Our results could provide an explanation for the association between frequent meat consumption and increased risk in developing cardiovascular diseases. However if you include polyphenol rich products as an integral part of the meal, these harmful effects are significantly decreased.'

He added that the fact the cutlets were marinated in red wine would have a similar effect to the volunteers drinking the wine with the meal.

The study published in the Journal of Functional Foods should be of significant interest to Indian non vegetarians who love to have mutton and pork. Washing it down with a glass of red wine like Cabernet, Merlot, or Nebbiolo or Sangiovese, will not only add to the flavour of the food, it may also help reduce the negative effects of red meat against which cardiologists advise due its effect on the heart disease.