Saponins

If you needed another reason to have that glass of red wine with dinner then you need to learn about saponins. Saponins are glucose-based plant compounds which occur naturally in certain foods including the skins of grapes. According to Science Daily, "The compounds are believed to come from the waxy skin of grapes, which dissolve into the wine during its fermentation process. To better understand their distribution in wine, Waterhouse conducted a preliminary study of six varieties of California wines four red and two white and compared them on the basis of their saponin content". It seems the higher the alcohol content of the wine, the higher levels of saponins were found. If you are not a wine drinker, fear not, the compound is also found in olive oil, soybeans and yuca.

Saponins are natural anti-inflammatory agents proven to affect inflammation pathways which may help to ward off heart disease and cancer.