Heart Health

Dr. Mitchell Seymour, lead researcher and manager of the U-M Cardioprotection Research Laboratory states, “Although there’s not a particular direct correlation between this study and what humans should do, it’s very interesting to postulate that a diet higher in phytochemical-rich fruits, such as grapes, may benefit humans." This seeks to answer the French paradox. While the Bible forbids being a drunkard and one must never consume wine to get drunk, as an alcoholic, wine in small amounts may provide some health benefits. While having a high fat diet, and while they drink lots of wine, they do not show a marked increase in heart disease per capita. Recent studies have shown that the reason is an antioxidant present in, amongst other foods: resveratrol grape juice. The compound, an antioxidant, is present in skins of the grape. There is more in darker wine because red wines allow the skins to soak for a longer period of time.Tests have shown these compounds relax blood vessels -- and blood flow improves and the risk of a heart attack goes down. Moreover, they help repair your blood vessel walls and lower your blood pressure. They can reduce the risk of blood clots and remove unwanted cholesterol. Researchers found not only an increase in blood antioxidant activity, but also discovered that grape juice protected LDL cholesterol from oxidation, which can turn LDL into an artery-damaging molecule. Also, investigators have found that phenolic compounds in grape skins inhibit protein tyrosine kinases, a group of enzymes that play a key role in cell regulation. Compounds that inhibit these enzymes can also suppress the production of a protein that causes blood vessels to constrict, thus reducing the flow of oxygen to the heart. This protein, called endothelin-1, is thought to be an essential contributing agent in the development of heart disease.

Cancer Protection

Researchers report that going for grapes, not supplements, is best. "The findings add to the argument for eating whole foods," says Elvira Gonzalez de Meija, an assistant professor in the food science and nutrition department at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

"By eating the fruit, we know that the bioactive component involved goes into your bloodstream and relocates to other regions," says de Meija, who has worked on the grape study (Click Here for study).

Scientists say grapes may have protective benefits against cancer that is independent of its antioxidant properties.

Anti-Aging

In November 2008, researchers at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University reported that dietary supplementation with resveratrol significantly reduced plaque formation in animal brains, a component of Alzheimer and other Neurodegenerative diseases. In mice, oral resveratrol produced large reductions in brain plaque in the hypothalamus (-90%), striatum (-89%), and medial cortex (-48%) sections of the brain. In humans it is theorized that oral doses of resveratrol may reduce beta amyloid plaque associated with aging changes in the brain. Resveratrol has been identified as a potent activator of Sir2-an enzyme researchers have now discovered is responsible for the extension of life span seen in many species when placed on calorie restricted diets. Resveratrol did not have a significant effect on lifespan in animals fed standard chow, and this suggests that the intervention did not affect all aspects of the basic aging process. Mice put on a high-calorie diet without resveratrol lived the shortest while mice on an every-other-day regimen lived the longest, regardless of resveratrol treatment. Also, for mice on a high-calorie diet, mean and maximum lifespan increased for mice on resveratrol when compared with the control mice. Researchers found that resveratrol’s effects on longevity could be completely uncoupled from changes in body weight, meaning that mice on a high-calorie diet with resveratrol did not necessarily lose weight but did experience a longer (and healthier) life than mice on the same high-calorie diet not taking resveratrol. This leads Researchers to feel that improved cardiovascular health and reduced fatty changes in the liver may have contributed to the increased lifespan of resveratrol-treated mice.

References

• Megan Homer, NIA,
"Resveratrol Found to Improve Health, But Not Longevity in Aging Mice on Standard Diet", http://www.nih.gov/ news/health/jul2008/nia-03.htm.
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resveratrol
• Miranda Hitti, "Grapes May Stop Cancer Cells", http://www.webmd.com/ cancer/news/20050331/grapes-may-stop-cancer-cells.
• Sue Cartledge, "Grapes Help Protect against Heart Disease and Diabetes", http://food-facts.suite101.com/article.cfm/grapes-help-protect-against-heart-disease-and-diabetes.
• Elizabeth Steele, "Resveratrol Grape Juice Is Good For Heart Health", http://trevorweir.com/MarketingNiches/116/resveratrol-grape-juice-is-good-for-heart-health/.
• http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=40.
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:GrapesFlowers.JPG.
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grape.