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Wine ….

It’s one four letter word that is almost always welcome in mixed company.

"It’s a great way to relieve stress and just relax and catch up with friends."

Let’s face it catching up with friends can be a whole lot easier and sometimes more in depth when a little Vino is involved.

"One glass of wine, how's the conversation? Better. Two glasses? Even better. Three? I don't remember."

Socially speaking wine is fine. But is it “really” good for you?

Many we spoke with may not know all the reasons why but they believe wine, in moderation, is good for them at least on some level.

“They say a little bit of red wine, like a glass a day, is good for your heart, so that's got to make anybody feel good about drinking some alcohol.."

"Apparently it's good for your heart, prevent some heart disease, I think, and maybe stroke?"

“Red or white? Red. Why? There's some ingredient in it, there's some ingredient but I don't know what it is."

The ingredient that’s getting a lot of attention these days is called resveratrol, a compound found in red wine, grapes, pomegranates and certain other foods.

One of the latest studies, sponsored in part by the u-s national institutes of health, says resveratrol may protect the heart----and actually slow down the aging process.)

In fact—as the New York Times reported last month---drug companies are stumbling all over themselves to try to develop drugs with the same effects of resveratrol---and thus offer their versions of the fountain of the youth.

We spoke with Lindsay Pomeroy, a certified wine specialist in southern California, about resveratrol and its roots.

“It comes from the skins, the seeds, and the pips of the grapes so that’s why in red wines versus white wines red wines have more health benefits than white wines because white wine is not made with skin and red wine is---not all the time---but most of the time that’s the case.”

Pomeroy says---all of this news is encouraging---but for those of you looking to load up “big time” on your resveratrol intake through wine---remember one word: moderation.

“Because it’s the American culture we like to use any excuse to indulge just a little bit. So I think we take, “hey, we can drink wine…meaning, hey, I can down a bottle or two.”

Short of downing a bottle or two----what’s an appropriate amount?

“A little more than a half bottle of red wine for men and half that for women. How often? Every day. Yeah! Which is great news!”

When it comes to alcohol consumption---the American Heart Association defines moderate drinking as one to two drinks per day for men---and one drink a day for women.

It is quick to point out---drinking too much alcohol of any kind can increase a person’s chances of having high blood pressure, alcoholism, stroke, breast cancer and other health problems.

But it does acknowledge that studies are underway that are looking into the “apparent” benefits of drinking wine and other forms of alcohol. It says the best known benefit of alcohol in general is the small increase in HDL---or good cholesterol. It also says resveratrol “may” prevent platelets from sticking together which could reduce blood clotting.

Though it says there is no scientific proof that drinking wine can replace more conventional measures of staying in shape---the bottom line for most wine drinkers seems to be this:

“If it just relieves stress, that's good enough for me."