It’s Valentine’s Day! Make a Toast to Heart Health

A few years back, researchers wondered why Americans stuffing down burgers, ribs, and fries tend to keel over from heart disease, while the French ingest just as much fat dining on foie gras, creamy sauces, and pastry — but their hearts never skip a beat. Here’s the difference: French folks regularly drink wine in the normal course of dining. Scientists already knew that wine was a natural antioxidant...and then they stumbled upon resveratrol and quercetin, the two compounds in vino that seem to work to keep gunk from cluttering up your artery walls.

So here’s the bottom line: Drinking red wine in moderation is all it takes to reap its benefits. (More than one or two glasses of wine — or any other form of alcohol — a day actually increases the risk of some cancers and other serious illnesses.)

You can reap even more heart-healthy benefits from wine by combining it with another ticker-protecting powerhouse: onions! Medical science tells us that red wine and onions are both rich in compounds that help keep your heart in good working order. So why not combine the two healers into one easy tonic? Simply add the juice of a medium-size onion to a bottle of red wine, and shake it for a few minutes in a slightly larger bottle or jar. Take 1½ to 3 tablespoons of the potion each day. (Just save this odiferous tonic for after Valentine’s Day — your sweetie may not appreciate onion-scented smooches!)