Grapes contain a number of natural compounds called polyphenols that have several significant health benefits. These compounds, which include resveratrol, quercetin, proanthocyanidins and other natural chemicals, all share common molecular features that make them excellent antioxidants that can suppress inflammation and protect you from several disorders such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. These compounds are all provided by grapes and several are also available as supplements. Discuss use with your doctor to determine if they might be helpful for you.
Cardiovascular Benefits
Resveratrol, a polyphenol in the skins of red grapes, has significant cardioprotective activity, according to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. A potent antioxidant, resveratrol reduces oxidation of low-density lipoprotein, or LDL. LDL oxidation is a necessary step in production of fat deposits called plaque that may harm your coronary arteries and predispose you to heart disease. Resveratrol also inhibits aggregation of platelets, lessening clot formation and further reducing buildup of plaque in your arteries. The seeds of grapes contain polyhenols called proanthocyandins that also reduce your risk of heart disease by lowering your blood levels of LDL and by protecting your heart from the damaging effects of toxins and certain drugs.
Diabetes
Insulin is a hormone that helps move glucose into your cells where it is needed, regulating your blood glucose level and keeping it in a healthy range. Resveratrol and other polyphenols in grapes maintain your body's sensitivity to insulin, helping prevent diabetes. In a study published in the "British Journal of Nutrition" in 2011, subjects with type 2 diabetes consumed either a resveratrol supplement or a placebo for four weeks. At the end of the study, those who took resveratrol had heightened sensitivity to insulin and other indicators that their metabolic function had improved during the term of the study.
Cancer
Cancer develops when cells become abnormal following changes in their DNA, causing the cells to grow out of control and become malignant. Resveratrol, quercetin and other polyphenols in grapes may lower your risk of cancer. Because these compounds are antioxidants, they protect your cells from DNA damage caused by environmental toxins and metabolic byproducts called free radicals. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center lists skin cancer, leukemia, breast cancer and neuroblastoma as cancers that may be prevented by resveratrol and other polyphenols in grapes. In addition, a paper published in the "FASEB Journal" in 2010 describes laboratory studies showing that grape polyphenols stop growth of cultured prostate cancer cells and cause the cells to die.
Recommendations
One strategy to increase your consumption of these healthy compounds is to make grapes a regular part of your diet. Several grape polyphenols such as resveratrol and quercetin are also available as purified supplements. Grape seed extract, also available as a supplement, is a rich source of proanthocyanidins, another healthy class of polyphenols. All of these polyphenol-containing supplements are generally considered safe and have few side effects. However, each may interact with some prescription medications, so consult your doctor before adding them to your regimen.
References
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Resveratrol
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Grape Seed
- Natural News: Resveratrol and Grape Seed Polyphenols Combine to Prevent Diabetees
- "British Journal of Nutrition"; Resveratrol Improves Insulin Sensitivity, Reduces Oxidative Stress...; P. Brasnyo, et al.; March 2011
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Quercetin
- "FASEB Journal"; The Sphingosine Kinase-1 Survival Pathway is a Molecular Target for ...Polyphenols in Prostate Cancer; L. Brizuela, et al.; October 2010
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