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OLLY SMITH: Is wine really good for you?

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Red wine could help reduce the risk of a huge number of health problems

Folks, it’s official: I’m running the London Marathon on April 21 this year.

It’s a staggeringly hard race, so I’m fortunate to have a mentor to help me train: Michel Roux Jr – who’s responsible for me entering in the first place.

We were on stage together at the BBC Good Food Show when he congratulated me on losing three-and-a-half stone – before putting me on the spot by challenging me to run in front of 2,000 people. How could I possibly refuse?

I’m delighted he gave me the push, and happy to be supporting a local charity, Rockinghorse, which works to improve healthcare for sick children and babies.

My youngest daughter took a nasty blow to the head last year and had a tiny bleed on the brain, so my family benefited directly from the care for which Rockinghorse raises much-needed funds.

If you’d like to make a contribution, you can find the links on my website, ollysmith.com.

Come and cheer for me on the big day and wave your copy of Live as I pass – I’ll need as much support as I can get!

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But of course, for me, the biggest question is: can I still carry on drinking as part of my new healthy lifestyle?

I was delighted to discover that the answer is yes – and even more delighted when I flicked through my ‘Marathon Training Guide’ to find wine coming in at number nine out of ten in the nutrition section.

Ask Olly...Patricia Brocklehurst asks: ‘What has happened to all the dry Muscat wine?’

Good question, Patricia – this is a brilliant style of wine that’s definitely due a revival. One great example that is widely available is Marks & Spencer’s Muscat Sec 2011, £9.99; it’s as fragrant as a tangerine with a lychee hint and a delightful rose perfume. Dive in!

It’s warmly recommended – in moderation, of course – with red wine in particular offering a range of possible health benefits, especially with regard to vascular health.

The more you read, the more it seems red wine could help to reduce the risk of a huge number of health problems, from heart disease to colon cancer and strokes. (Which is not to say it’s like the magic potion in the Asterix comics; you can’t just glug the stuff and reap the benefits while ignoring the other elements of a healthy lifestyle.)

Polyphenols in red wine are the focus of much current research into health benefits, and grape varieties with naturally high levels include Malbec, Tannat and even Cabernet Sauvignon.

These are wines that are generally high in tannin – the chunky texture in vino that dries your tongue. Tannin softens brilliantly when paired with food such as steak and Cheddar, so remember to include such wines with a meal or snack.

Wine Rules: No 35

Don’t let sediment spoil the fun. Older wines can contain sediment from grape skins, so be prepared. Either pour the wine gently and catch the sediment in the neck of the bottle, or, better yet, decant it through a wine filter. If you haven’t got one of those, then a tea strainer with a fine mesh works rather well

As for which regions to source them from, South West France and Argentina are top bets.

And if you want a helping hand from an expert in the health benefits of red wine, check out vinopic.com, which rates all of its vino following tests by Professor Roger Corder, author of The Wine Diet.

Areas of France to look for on the label include Madiran and Cahors (see my recommendations), whose wines are based on Tannat and Malbec respectively.

These wines aren’t for the faint-hearted; they tend to have a kick to them – think espresso or dark chocolate.

But it’s a kick that I, for one, adore.

And if it helps me go the extra mile on Marathon day, I’m all for it. Wish me luck.

&




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