Grapes pack health benefits for your heart, brain, skin, gut and more

Grapes are not considered a “superfood,” but they should be, says a new article in the current issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry.

As noted in the article, the term “superfood” does not have an official definition or established criteria. Mainstream superfoods are typically part of the Mediterranean Diet and generally rich in natural plant compounds beneficial to a person’s health. Fresh grapes definitely qualify, said author John M. Pezzuto, PhD, DSc, Dean of the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Western New England University and leading resveratrol and cancer researcher.

Grapes are a natural source of more than 1,600 compounds, including antioxidants and other polyphenols such as flavonoids, anthocyanidins, catechins, phenolic acids, resveratrol and more. Polyphenols are responsible for the health benefits of grapes, via antioxidant activity and influencing cellular processes. It is the whole grape and the unique matrix of these compounds within it that creates the biological effects, not a single component.

With more than 60 peer-reviewed studies on this fruit and health published, the role of grapes in cardiovascular health is well-established; eating grapes promotes relaxation of blood vessels and healthy circulation, as well as modulation of cholesterol levels. Clinical trials show that they also support brain health, skin health, gut health and eye health. Finally, in the realm of nutrigenomics, the study of foods and gene expression in the body, grape consumption has been shown to positively alter gene expression in relevant body systems. Pezzuto suggests it is these activities at the genetic level that are likely the driving force behind the health benefits of grapes.

For more information, visit sciencedaily.com.