Polyphenols
We know fruit, veg and other plants products like nuts and seeds are good for us because they have vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and fibre, all good for our overall health. If you’re on our site you’re probably already signed up to this.
The Magic
They also have 'magic' ingredients called polyphenols. Plants have developed polyphenols as protection against predators - it's a stress response system. The theory is that by ingesting these elements they, in turn, stimulate our stress response. It is based on SIRT Xenohormesis; the biological phenomenon enabling humans to benefit from the stress responses of plants by consuming the polyphenols plants produce under stress. These polyphenols produce similar effects to exercise, and calorie restriction both of which have anti-aging effects. You might find the peppery flavour of roquette delicious but it’s designed as the plant’s natural defence against bugs. Polyphenols are thought to trigger genes called sirtuin genes. The authors of The SIRT food Diet, Aidan Goggins and Glen Matten (who also wrote The Health Delusion), call these skinny genes. Guess what was the sirtfood that started all this? Resveratrol a polyphenol found in red wine.
Plants have 'magic' ingredients called polyphenols
Fat Burning
Why skinny genes? Because they are considered metabolic regulators that encouraging fat burning. Not all fat is created equal; white fat hangs around on the hips, but brown fat is easier to burn off. The theory is these sirtuins transform white fat into to brown (or beige) fat. We all have this brown, or “good fat” at birth, but it declines through the years being replaced by white fat, thanks to our high fat, high sugar, low activity lifestyles switching off these genes. Fasting triggers them but that can result in loss of muscle mass, which is not only ageing and unattractive but also reduces metabolic rate; meaning when you eat again, even sensibly, you put weight back on - sigh! Exercise triggers them too - but that's for the next chapter. But there is hope. SIRT foods trigger these genes.
Where to find polyphenols
So what are the foods that trigger these genes? As well as dark skinned fruit (red grapes and other berries) and dark green veg, there’s extra virgin olive oil, kale, parsley, roquette or arugula (also considered an aphrodisiac), walnuts, green tea, cocoa and turmeric. They are all on the list. I love this concept - as all these are already firmly ensconced in my diet and I work well on the principle that what I love is good for me.
Some research suggests that this fat conversion happens at night so perhaps drinking a glass of red wine in the evening might be beneficial? It might also go some way to explain unhealthy sleep patterns are linked to weight gain.
Wine is not one of your 5 a day - sorry!
Red wine is not one of your 5 a day!
A glass or two of red wine a day will not give you enough resveratrol to do the job. Despite a Harvard study of 20,000 people finding that those who consumed around two glasses of wine per day were 70% less likely to be obese, if you want to stock up on sirtuin activators you need to eat your coloured fruit and veg as well.
Luckily we have lots of recipes to help.​​​​
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This is an edited page from Wendy’s book The Drinking Woman’s Diet