1. Grapes Deliver Antioxidants and Other Polyphenols

Grapes of all colors contain a variety of antioxidants and other polyphenols.   Antioxidants neutralize harmful free radicals to help prevent the process of oxidation that damages cells.  Sounds pretty technical, but in fact, neutralizing free radicals happens naturally when we eat foods like grapes that promote antioxidant activity.  When free radicals are left to their own devices, a condition called “oxidative stress” occurs.  Oxidative stress is now associated with numerous health conditions and chronic illnesses.

2. Love Your Heart: Eat Grapes

Human studies have shown that eating a variety of grapes may help support a healthy heart by promoting relaxation of blood vessels to help maintain healthy blood flow and function.  Heart-healthy grapes may also help promote healthy aging:  studies looking into the health benefits derived from eating normal portions of grapes on a regular basis are underway at some of the nation’s most prestigious research institutions.

3. A Boost for Colon Health

In a small human study of colon cancer patients¹, those consuming a grape-enriched diet (equal to adding 2 1/2 cups of grapes per day for two weeks) were able to inhibit certain genes that promote tumor growth in the colon. This benefit was observed in the healthy tissue of the subjects’ colons, not the cancerous tissue, indicating a potential role for grapes in helping to maintain a healthy colon.

In a second study, 30 healthy subjects were randomly assigned to consume either 1/3, 2/3, or one pound of grapes each day for two weeks. The results showed that grape consumption at all three levels inhibited the expression of Wnt pathway target genes involved in cancer promotion. The greatest impact was seen in the older subjects and those whose diet was high in arginine intake; both of these groups have an increased incidence of colon cancer.²

1. Nguyen, A.V., Martinez, M., Stamos, M.J., Moyer, M.P., Planutis, K., Hope, C., & Holcombe, R.F. (2009). Results of a phase I pilot clinical trial examining the effect of plant-derived resveratrol and grape powder on Wnt pathway target gene expression in colonic mucosa and colon cancer. Journal of Cancer Management and Research, 1-13.

2. Holcombe, R.F., Martinez, M., Planutis, K., & Planutiene, M. (2015). Effects of a grape-supplemented diet on proliferation and Wnt signaling in the colonic mucosa are greatest for those over 50 and with high arginine consumption. Nutrition Journal, 14:62. doi: 10.1186/s12937-015-0050-z

4. All Eyes Are On Grapes

Three recent laboratory studies^{3 4 5} researches observed a beneficial impact of grapes on eye health in mice. In the first study, consuming grapes early in life prevented blindness in animals that were prone to developing retinal damage in old age. In the second study the grape-enriched diet offered protection in multiple ways, from countering oxidative stress, to lowering levels of inflammatory proteins, and increasing protective proteins in the retina. In a third laboratory study, adding grapes to the diet helped reduce damaging and undesirable blood vessel formation that can leak into the retina and lead to vision loss

3. Yu C. C, Nandrot, D.F., Dun, Y., and Finnemann, S.C. (2012). Dietary antioxidants prevent age-related retinal pigment epithelium actin damage and blindness in mice lacking the ?v?5 integrin. Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 52(3), 660-70. doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2011.11.021

4. Patel, A.K., Davis, A., Rodriguez, M.E., Agron, S., & Hackam, A.S. (2016). Protective effects of a grape-supplemented diet in a mouse model of retinal degeneration. Nutrition, 32, 384-390.

5. Kanavi, M.R., Darjatmoko, S., Wang, S., Azari, A.A., Farnoodian, M., Kenealey, J.D., Van Ginkel, P.R., …Polans, A.S. (2014). The sustained delivery of resveratrol or a defined grape powder inhibits new blood vessel formation in a mouse model of choroidal neovascularization. Molecules, 19, 17578-17603.

5. Grape Goodness and Brain Health

In a study of people with early memory decline, subjects consuming grapes preserved healthy metabolic activity in regions of the brain associated with early Alzheimer’s disease, where metabolic decline takes hold; those who didn’t consume grapes had significant metabolic decline in these critical regions.⁶ An animal study showed that a grape-enriched diet helped reduce inflammation and protect against neuronal damage caused by loss of oxygen to the brain.⁷ Additional animal studies found that consuming grapes prevented oxidative stress-induced anxiety-like behaviors, learning and memory impairment, and associated high blood pressure.^{8 9}

6. Lee, J.K., Torosyan, N., & Silverman, D.H. (2017). Examining the impact of grape consumption on brain metabolism and cognitive function in patients with mild decline in cognition: A double-blinded placebo controlled pilot study. Experimental Gerontology, 87 (Pt A),121-128.

7. Wang, Q., Simonyi, A., Li, W., Sisk, B.A., Miller, R.L., MacDonald, R.S., Lubbahn, D.E., Sun, G.Y., & Sun, A.Y. (2005). Dietary grape supplement ameliorates cerebral ischemia-induced neuronal death in gerbils. Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, 49, 443-451.

8. Allam F., Dao, A.T., Ghugh, G., Bohat, R., Jafri, F., Patki, G., …Salim, S. (2013, June). Grape powder supplementation prevents oxidative stress-induced anxiety-like behavior, memory impairment and high blood pressure in rats. Journal of Nutrition, 143(6), 835-842, doi: 10.3945/jn.113.174649

9. Patki, G., Allam, F.H., Atrooz, F., Dao, A.T., Solanki, N., Chugh, G., … Salim, S. (2013, September). Grape powder intake prevents ovariectomy-induced anxiety-like behavior, memory impairment and high blood pressure in female Wistar rats. PLoS ONE, 8(9), e74522. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0074522