Seventeen years ago, 60 Minutes first examined the French paradox, which suggested that despite a high fat diet and high consumption of wine, the French had a remarkably low incidence of heart disease, compared with Americans. Most researchers agreed that there was something in the wine that offered protection, and a few years later, even the highly cautious federal dietary guidelines say that red wine can be beneficial in moderation.
Today, scientists across the country have identified a substance in red wine called resveratrol that they believe might do more than just protect the heart, but could, in very high concentrations, significantly extend life by preventing a number of age-related illnesses. If they're right, we all may soon be taking a pill that could give us an extra decade or two of healthy old age.
Resveratrol on 60 Minutes.
