Drink Grape Juice
Non-wine drinkers, take heart! You too may benefit from health promoting, gene activating polyphenol compounds found in nonalcoholic red grape juice. In the early 1995, when resveratrol was thought to be the active ingredient responsible for the French paradox, non-wine drinkers began to wonder if they could obtain similar benefits from drinking grape juice.
Scientists found that the polyphenol was as high and at times higher in grape juice, particularly juice from the Finger Lakes region of upper New York State. They later concluded that this was due to the cool, damp climate there that allowed fungi to attack local grapes. Since’ that time, many studies have demonstrated the health benefits of pure red grape juice from Concord and muscadine grapes, which are similar to the healthful effects of red wine.
In addition to its antioxidant effect, grape juice may protect and facilitate brain cell function directly. Red and dark-purple grapes consumed with the skins are also good sources of vitamins C, E, potassium and fiber. But Concord and muscadine red grape juice is a more concentrated source of antioxidants and plant nutrients than grapes alone. Ninety percent of the nutrient benefit of the grape is in the skin and seeds, which are the two elements of the fruit often discarded when grapes are eaten fresh. In the process of making grape juice, however, the skin and seeds stay mixed with the pulp, or flesh, for an extended period of time.
This allows powerful flavonoids and other polyphenols to seep into the juice.
It’s thought that red or purple grape products may reduce your risk of heart disease by relaxing your blood vessels, allowing your blood to more easily flow. This benefit is most likely due to substances called antioxidants found in the skin and seeds of grapes — especially dark red and purple grapes. One particularly important antioxidant, resveratrol, is also found in grape juice — especially juice made from dark purple Concord grapes. Grape juice contains antioxidants called flavonoids, which have been shown to increase your high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or “good”) cholesterol and lower your risk of clogged arteries (atherosclerosis), and may help lower blood pressure.
The most obvious way grape juice helps fatigue is by replenishing your body’s iron supply. Iron deficiency is common, especially in women. It can cause severe fatigue and leave you feeling completely tired and burnt out. Don’t drink dark grape juices if you are anemic (low on iron). Dark grape juices contain chemicals that can actually lower the level of iron in your system, worsening the problem. Stick to white or light grape juice for the best iron boost. If your feeling extra tired after a workout, you probably need to replenish iron lost from sweating. Drinking grape juice will not only give you more energy, but also help with muscle fatigue as well.
One concern about commercially available processed red grape juice is that most grape juice is pasteurized using high heat, and this process can reduce or even inactivate polyphenols such as resverarrol, Additionally, most processed red grape juice products have sugars and preservatives added, and studies of these products often show resveratrol bound to a sugar molecule; the biological action of this form of resveratrol is believed to be reduced compared with that of the unbound trans-resveratrol found in larger amounts in red wine and in red grape skins themselves.
Raisins, which are dried grapes, are not a good source of plant nutrients. Resveratrol and other polyphenols are destroyed by the exposure to light and the oxidation that occur when raisins are dried in the air. So how much red grape juice should one drink daily? A serving of one or two 4- to 8-ounce glasses is suggested for optimal cardiovascular and health benefits. Because each serving contains a significant amount of natural sugars-up to 150 calories in 8 ounces-it should be used not as a replacement for water but as a replacement for flavored beverages and sodas, and as a complement to meals. Mixing it with seltzer or soda water as a spritzer makes for a refreshing soft -drink substitute.
Comments on this entry are closed.