10 Holiday Party-Food Dilemmas, Solved

Real Simple helps you make healthy eating choices this season.

Red or White Wine?

The Better Choice: Red Wine

For that you can thank the skin of the grape. "That's where the antioxidant resveratrol is found," says Ann Yelmokas McDermott, Ph.D., a nutrition researcher at Tufts University, in Boston. Resveratrol, a phytochemical with a structure similar to estrogen's, has a number of beneficial properties, such as anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant, and cholesterol-improving effects.

But… The grape skins that make red wine healthy are also the source of tannins, which can cause headaches in some people. White wine doesn't contain tannins, so it's less likely to trigger headaches.