Eating Grapes May Reduce Your Risk of Heart Attack

Like vegetables, fruits should be an essential part of your diet. After all, the seed-bearing foods contain important vitamins, nutrients, and fiber that contribute to your overall health. But some fruits are better for you than others, as findings from University of California, Los Angeles study suggest that grapes are especially helpful when it comes to lowering cholesterol and that consuming them may reduce your risk of heart attack.

To obtain their findings, researchers tracked 19 people between the ages of 21 and 55-years-old who consumed the equivalent of about 40 grapes — two servings — each day. The rest of the participants' diet was relatively low in fiber and plant chemicals before and during the trial. Researchers they found that within just four weeks of eating grapes resulted in notable health boosts among people who don't regularly eat fruits and vegetables. Additionally, the diversity of their microbiome was higher, which is the community of bacteria living in the gut essential for promoting strong health.

Among the good bacteria that increased during the study was Akkermansia, which burns up sugar and cholesterol and strengthens the lining of the intestines. Grapes also contain important antioxidants that can reduce inflammation in the body. This means that this simple lifestyle change may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease - the world's leading cause of death. According to the UCLA study, participants had almost eight percent less bad cholesterol and bile acids, which fuel bad cholesterol, fell by more than 40 percent. These harmful fats can lead to clots that block blood vessels and cut off blood flow to the heart or brain and can result in heart attack or stroke.

A body of research has suggested that the flavonoids (antioxidants) in grapes and grape products may also be the factor in reducing many of the risk factors associated with atherosclerosis. These include:
•scavenging free radicals that cause damage to artery walls.
•decreasing the oxidation of LDL cholesterol.
•decreasing platelet aggregation to the artery wall.
It is not yet clear exactly how these benefits of antioxidants and flavonoids occur, but several studies have been done to support these proposed benefits.

A recent review in Nutrition Reviews compiled accumulated findings about grapes and grape products to determine the link between grapes and heart disease:

LDL Oxidation
In one study, a 2-week supplementation with Concord grape juice reduced the LDL oxidation rate by 34.5% in a group of patients with coronary artery disease. In another study, healthy adults who were supplemented with Concord grape juice for 2 weeks were found to have a decreased LDL oxidation rate.

Platelet Aggregation
In another study, following a 2-week supplementation of purple grape juice, a noted reduction in platelet aggregation was observed in healthy adults. In another study involving post-menopausal women, platelet closure time (over the LDL cholesterol) was increased after an 8-week supplementation with grape seed extract.

The research presented in the review supports decreased LDL oxidation, improvement in atherosclerotic risk factors, and the reduction in oxidative stress (free radicals).