Study Suggests Sherry Consumption May Support Heart Health

A small study at the University of Barcelona revealed that moderate sherry consumption may help restore damaged arteries

For sherry fans, there’s some great news coming out of a small study at the University of Barcelona. Scientists there believe that moderate consumption of sherry may actually help restore damaged arteries and reduce blood pressure.

The results of the study were published in Clinical Nutrition, and they revealed that the polyphenols in sherry may contribute to cardiovascular health. While it has been believed for some time that both white and red wine have health benefits, the potential positive impact of drinking sherry has only been discovered recently. It should be noted that sherry is made from white grapes and aged for three years at least.

The controlled, randomized study included a group of male volunteers with various issues: they were obese, smokers and/or had diabetes or hypertension. The results revealed a notable increase in participants’ endothelial progenitor cells, or EPCs, which attach to damaged artery walls and help repair their function.

Dr. Ramón Estruch, from the university’s Internal Medicine department, says “The main anti-inflammatory effects observed in this study can be attributed mainly to polyphenols in aged white wine,” according to winespectator.com.
The study looked at only a small sample and lasted for a few weeks, so no major conclusions can be drawn from the results; however, the findings are interesting and do warrant additional, more in-depth studies.