A team of scientists at Madrid's Council for Scientific Investigations has concluded that red wine is a good source of dietary fibre, according to reports carried on www.bbr.com. The scientists tested seven wines, all bought from local supermarkets. They picked typical Spanish wines such as the ones made with the red varietal Tempranillo as well as Tempranillo blended with international and other Spanish varieties, and whites such as Verdejo .

They discovered that the red wines that they tested had between three and seven times as much fibre as the whites. The most fibre was found in a blend of Tempranillo and Monastrell, with 1.37 grams of dietary fibre a litre, which is the equivalent of the levels found in tomatoes. The least fibre was contained in a Verdejo, which contained just 0.19 gms per litre. Dietary fibre is made up of indigestable proteins which enter the wine through the yeast used in fermentation and from the skin and pulp of grapes.

Speaking about the research, Dr Fulgencio Saura-Calixto said, "The daily consumption of 300 ml of red wine would increase soluble dietary fibre intake by 6.9%." The quantity he specified is about half a bottle of wine, which is also the intake recommended by the medical community for the health benefits of red to express themselves.

Some time back, researchers at Quebec's Laval University had reported that red wine was good for our teeth, contrary to the popular belief. They said its polyphenols stave off diseases like periodontitis, which affect the gums and bone around the teeth.

Periodontitis is a progressive disease of the gums and the bone that supports our teeth. The disease is caused by bacterial infection. The infection triggers an inflammatory response that is responsible for the gradual degradation of the bones holding teeth in place. Results from a study conducted by the Canadian researchers show the polyphenols in wine modify the immune response to bacteria. The wine inhibits free radicals made by macrophages, a type of immune cell, and control intracellular proteins involved in their release.

Red wine, green tea and fresh fruits have all been touted in recent years for their cancer and heart disease-fighting properties. These properties are all attributed to polyphenols.