Keeping your cholesterol levels under control means lowering your low density lipoprotein, or LDL, level and raising your high density lipoprotein, or HDL, level. This requires many lifestyle changes, such as getting regular exercise, eating a healthy diet, quitting smoking and losing any excess weight. Including some grape juice in your diet may also help when it is used as part of a total plan. If you are concerned about your cholesterol levels, talk to your physician, who can determine if drinking grape juice is an appropriate option for you.
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a waxy substance that your body makes. It also can be found in many foods. Your body needs some cholesterol to function properly, and not all types of cholesterol are bad. Since cholesterol cannot dissolve in your blood, it must be transported by special carriers, such as LDLs and HDLs. LDLs are considered the bad kind because they take cholesterol to be stored in the body. HDLs are considered the healthy kind because they take cholesterol to be excreted. A high HDL level protects against heart disease and is thought to carry cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, which means HDLs may slow arterial plaque buildup along your blood vessel walls, according to the American Heart Association. A general goal is to keep your HDL level at 60 or higher.
Resveratrol
Drinking moderate amounts of red wine may possibly play a role in reducing your risk of heart disease when used as part of an overall plan. Red wine contains a substance called resveratrol. Resveratrol is an antioxidant that may help destroy free radicals that contribute to heart disease and control inflammation within the blood vessels. Consuming resveratrol may also help lower LDL levels, but what is not known is if it affects HDL levels as well. There is also some speculation that it is the combination of alcohol and resveratrol that helps lower your risk. However, much more research is still needed to determine if consuming products or supplements with resveratrol can really lower your risk of heart disease, says the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. Resveratrol is found in grapes, wine and peanuts.
Grapes and Grape Juice
Drinking dark purple grape juice, especially juice made from concord grapes, may also reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. The antioxidants found in purple grape juice may relax blood vessels, allowing your blood to flow more easily. They may also lower the risk of developing blood clots and may increase your level of high-density lipoproteins, according to MayoClinic.com. Eating purple or red grapes may also be beneficial due to the antioxidants they contain, plus the fiber that is found in the skins. Grape juice can be part of an overall healthy diet, but there is no clear evidence as to how much you must drink to improve your HDL level.
Lifestyle Changes
While adding some grape juice into your diet may help, a sure fire way to increase your HDL level is to adopt healthy lifestyle changes. Regular exercise, losing excess weight and quitting smoking have all been shown to raise HDL cholesterol, according to the Texas Heart Institute. The above needs to be combined with eating a diet that is low in salt, fat and cholesterol and high in fiber. If you are at a high risk of complications due to a low HDL level, you may need medication as well.
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