 Taking a cue from several studies that emphasize the health benefits of wine because of the presence of several anti-oxidants that also include Resveratrol, BioHarvest has developed a patented, state-of-the-art platform to grow and bio-harvest fruit cell cultures in 3D bioreactors. This is an Israeli company which was founded in 2007 as Fruitura BioScience Ltd and is a women-owned and managed Biotechnology Company.
The unique technology apparently enables the production of safe and clinically researched super-foods rich in phytonutrients in highly bio-available and efficacious forms, which are produced on an industrial scale for the nutrition, wellness, and supplements markets, according to the website of University of Albany with whom the company collaborated for R & D earlier this year.
In early 2013, BioHarvest's first large scale commercial product, red grape cell powder, now referred to as “Vinia,” was given the designation of a “novel food” in Israel by the country’s regulatory agencies — one of only six functional foods so classified. Pre-clinical and clinical studies demonstrated that Vinia had beneficial effects on cardiovascular disease, Type II diabetes, and metabolic conditions. In addition, in the U.S., Vinia has been designated “Generally Recognized as Safe” by the Food and Drug Administration.
“Most of us are aware of the health benefits of the French Paradox phenomenon: reduced incidence of coronary heart disease, anti-inflammatory activity, mitigation of metabolic disorders and anti-aging properties,” explained Yochi Hagay, Ph.D., CEO and co-founder of BioHarvest Ltd. “Vinia provides all of those French Paradox benefits for proactive health management,” according to Fox News.
‘If you love the health benefits of red wine but can’t stomach a hangover, why not try eating it?’ reads the promotional tag line for Vinia on Fox News. This raises two important points. Do we all get hangovers from wine and do we all drink red wine for the anti-oxidant properties with several such compounds including Resveratrol found in the initial studies?
The first point is quite disturbing. No wine connoisseur would (normally) ever get drunk enough on wine to give him a hangover which usually comes from imbibing cheaper wines with too many sulfites. Too much quantity of wine may also give a hangover but those who drink to get a high would not be enamoured by Vinia or generally high quality wines.
If one drinks a good quality red wine, there would ostensibly be some medical benefits. But no one drinks wine purely for the health reasons- at least they ought not to. This would be as if one need not eat food at all if one takes sufficient multi-vitamins. Wine is a life-style product that enhances the mood as well as adds to the flavours of food. Vinia is hardly going to be of any help there.
Vinia may have its uses as a super-food to give various health benefits but that would be for the doctors and medical bodies to concur on. There have been studies done using resveratrol which has not proven to be beneficial for the heart as claimed by wine scientists. But several empirical studies on wine have indicated positive health benefits. In fact, the makers of Vinia claim that daily consumption of their dietary supplement can give similar benefits, such as improved blood circulation and the reduction of inflammatory diseases, without the sugar, calories and hangover of drinking that bottle.
Taken in the powder form, Vinia tastes like an earthy, red wine. But the powdery texture is a little hard to swallow by itself. Mixed with Greek yogurt, it has a mild grape flavor, but overall it is pleasant enough as far as dietary supplements go. It’s also easy to blend with other foods, like in smoothies or just dissolved in water.
It is being launched and goes on sale during the second week of September in the US, according to the news report. But the anti-aging powder is quite expensive- a 30-day supply of supplement retails for $120-that is Rs.250 for the daily dose!
If you have spare cash and you’re a teetotaler, buy it through your relatives in the US. But you would stay as healthy by drinking 2-3 glasses (women are advised 1-2 glasses by delWine) of wine daily-preferably red wine.
Subhash Arora
Tags: Vinia, BioHarvest, Resveratrol |