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Foods That Contain Resveratrol

Resveratrol is a natural antibiotic produced by a particular group of plants under certain circumstances. It is thought to play a large role in preventing a number of medical conditions, especially when the resveratrol is consumed in food rather than in supplements. Resveratrol is found in large amounts in four main foods: peanuts, berries, Japanese knotweed and wine.

  1. Aspects of Resveratrol

    • Resveratrol is a chemical known as a phytoalexin. Phytoalexins are antibiotics produced by a variety of plants when attacked by certain types of bacteria or fungal infections. Ingesting plants that produce large amounts of resveratrol is thought to prevent cancer, lower blood sugar levels, and significantly decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease.

    Peanuts

    • Peanuts--both raw and boiled--are excellent sources of resveratrol, particularly if they are consumed with the thin skin covering the nut left intact. Peanut butter retains a relatively large amount of resveratrol compared to most other foods and edible plants. Any plant containing the chemical experiences a sharp decrease in the overall resveratrol content when heat is applied through cooking.

    Berries

    • All types of berries, particularly berries of a deeply colored hue, contain large amounts of resveratrol. Cranberries, mulberries, blueberries and raspberries all have the highest resveratrol levels among berries, although--as with peanuts and any other food containing the chemical--cooking the berries or removing their skin significantly decreases the active amount of the compound.

    Japanese Knotweed

    • Japanese knotweed is a native Asian plant whose immature stems can be used as a vegetable that contains large amounts of resveratrol. Japanese knotweed contains such a concentrated amount of the chemical compound, it is a common ingredient in resveratrol supplements. These supplements--and Japanese knotwood in general--should be used with caution by individuals with conditions such as gout or arthritis since the plant contains large amounts of oxalic acid, a compound that can exacerbate the symptoms of these conditions.

    Wine

    • Wine contains a higher concentration of resveratrol per serving and/or milligram than any other resveratrol-containing food. In most instances, red wine contains substantially more of the chemical than white wine since red wine is fermented with the skin of grapes left intact, while the skins are removed for white-wine production. The skin of the grape, as with the skin of all resveratrol-containing fruits, contains the highest concentration of resveratrol compounds. An exception to this is with muscadine grapes. All types of wine, whether red or white wine, made from muscadines contain extremely high amounts of resveratrol.

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