Several studies have linked wine, notably red wine, to less heart disease. John Folts at the University of Wisconsin showed that red wine, red grape juice and the pure grape chemicals themselves all have anti-coagulant activity. He says three glasses of red grape juice and one glass of red wine have equal blood-thinning activity. Red wine is more potent than white, because in making red wine the seeds and skins are left in the mix to ferment longer, releasing more of the grape chemicals. Concentrated grape seed extract is available in health food stores.
Soybeans have hormones.
Asians who eat lots of soybeans, such as the Japanese, are less likely than Westerners to have breast, ovarian and prostate cancers. Soybeans possess a unique anti-cancer chemical called genistein, a plant hormone, says researcher Stephen Barnes at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Genistein, Barnes finds, helps fight cancer by manipulating hormones in much the same way the breast cancer drug tamoxifen does. Genistein also helps lower blood cholesterol and reduce the problems of menopause, such as hot flashes, he says. Genistein is in soy protein foods, such as tofu, soy milk, soy flour and textured soy protein, and soybeans themselves.