01/06/2019
Great Grapes
A study from Texas Woman's University, which was presented at the Experimental Biology conference, looked into whether grapes as a regular part of your diet can help ease the pain from osteoarthritis of the knee while improving joint flexibility and overall mobility. The study spanned sixteen weeks and included seventy-two men and women with who were already suffering from knee osteoarthritis. All participants were asked to consume either whole grape freeze-dried powder, or a placebo powder. The results? Participants who consumed the grape powder had a significant reduction of self-reported pain related to activity and an overall decrease in total knee symptoms. Age-related differences were noted: there was a 70% increase in the participants engaging in very hard activity for those under 64 years of age who consumed the grape powder, while participants who received the placebo reported a significant decrease in very hard activity. Additionally, increased cartilage metabolism was seen in men consuming the grape-powder compared to those on placebo. Overall, the study was very positive news for knee health! Research on reservatrol, grapes' most well-known component, has been ongoing, the results are impressive!- Weight Loss: Research from the University of Georgia found that resveratrol assists with weight loss efforts by reducing cells’ ability to store fat and actually causes fat cells to disintegrate more than twice as fast normal.
- Diabetes Prevention: Research from the the Albert Einstein College of Medicine found that prediabetics given reservatrol had a ten percent drop in blood sugar levels!
- Heart Health: In 2010 researchers from the University of Michigan found that a grape-enriched diet can have wide effects on the development of heart disease and metabolic syndrome. Additional research found that resveratrol may improve the dilation of blood vessels, allowing blood to flow more easily through blood vessels.
- Inflammation Fighter: Another study from the University of Michigan Health System, looked at the effects of a high fat diet -- with and without grapes -- on the heart, liver, kidneys, and fat tissue in obesity-prone rats. A blend of grapes were freeze-dried and added to the animals' diets for three months. After just three months of a grape-enriched diet, inflammatory markers throughout the animals' bodies were dramatically reduced -- most significantly in the liver and in abdomen.
