Resveratrol Food Sources: How Much Resveratrol Do They Really Contain?

The myriad of healthy benefits that can be extracted from the regular intake of Resveratrol has made this compound one of the most in demand health ingredients. There are actually a lot of ways by which you can obtain Resveratrol. It is found in over 70 species of plants around the world, most popularly in red grapes, blueberries, strawberries, and peanuts. You can also find Resveratrol in some kinds of pine and the giant knotweed, a Chinese plant that has been in use for centuries to heal certain kinds of illnesses and wounds.

Grapes and red wine are the most popular source of Resveratrol. This compound is found mostly in the skins, but is also plentiful in the stems, seeds, and vines. The Resveratrol content of most red wines and grape juices, however, varies depending on the type of grapes used to make them. In general, red wine has a Resveratrol content of 1.92 to 12.59 mg/L (milligrams per liter), but it still depends on the variety of red wine. In a Cornell University analysis of Resveratrol content of red wines submitted by New York wineries, it was found that the Pinot Noir variety of red wine contained the most Resveratrol content, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc.

White wines have considerably much less Resveratrol content than red wine primarily because the skin of the grapes is removed early during the wine-making process. With red wines, the skins are included even during the fermentation, allowing the wine to absorb more of the Resveratrol from the skin. White wines are said to have a minimal Resveratrol content of 0.05 to 1.80 mg/L, while red grape juice has 1.14 to 8.69 mg/L. Some studies also suggest that the stilbenoid glucoside piceid is converted into Resveratrol during the wine-making process, doubling its content as compared to that of grape juice.

Peanuts also contain Resveratrol, but they definitely do not add up as much as the Resveratrol content of red wine. An ounce of raw, uncooked peanuts has as much as 0.32 to 1.28 mg/L of Resveratrol per ounce, while an ounce of red wine can double that amount. The more the peanuts are cooked, processed, or exposed to heat, the more Resveratrol content they lose. An ounce of boiled peanuts can contain 0.01 to 0.26 mg/L while peanut butter has 0.04 to 0.13 mg/L of Resveratrol.

Blueberries also contain Resveratrol, but only 10 percent of the entire Resveratrol content found in grapes. It is recommended that blueberries are eaten fresh and unprocessed because, like peanuts, the more processes they undergo, the faster they lose their Resveratrol content.

Based on research, the top recommended resveratrol supplement is Resveratrol Select