Red Wine and Surgery to Treat Heart Disease? This is Happening

A number of large studies on red wine and heart health have been conducted over the past few decades that point to potential benefits of red wine in small amounts.

For example, in a study published in the Journal of Cardiovascular Disease Research, the findings point to antioxidants in red wine like resveratrol and quercetin for reducing inflammation and plaque build-up on artery walls linked to heart disease.

That’s basically how drinking a little red wine became a culturally accepted way to ward off heart disease. (It’s not a perfect solution for a lot of reasons, including alcoholism).

But it’s proven effective enough over the years that researchers found a way to deliver resveratrol and quercetin to the heart. So when someone receives a stent to open a blocked artery, some stents have the ability to delivery these antioxidants via time release directly to the heart.

“By delivering red wine antioxidants during conventional angioplasty, it may be possible to prevent excess tissue from building up and the blood vessel from narrowing again as it heals,” says Louisiana State University Researcher Dr. Tammy Dugas.

It’s one more way to win the fight against heart disease in the United States. It’s the number one cause of death and claims the lives of an estimated 630,000 people a year. About 1.5 million people a year experience a heart attack, often caused by poor heart health.

Fortunately, heart disease is largely preventable by maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, getting regular exercise, and making other smart lifestyle choices.

What does a heart-healthy diet look like? Limiting sodium will help control blood pressure, and so will eating more plant-based foods. You’ll find plenty of heart-healthy and low-sodium meals on our menu all made from fresh ingredients, and flash frozen, so you can have dinner ready to eat in minutes.