Grapes should be part of your daily diet!

…prevents eyes, heart, hypertension and other disease conditions
Results from a recent study suggests that eating grapes slow or help prevent the onset of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) – a condition which usually affects older adults and results in a loss of vision in the center of the visual field.
Data so far indicate it is a debilitating medical condition affecting millions worldwide and is a leading cause of blindness in old age.
The antioxidant actions of grapes are believed to be responsible for these protective effects. Published in the Free Radical Biology and Medicine, the study compared the impact of an antioxidant-rich diet on vision using mice prone to developing retinal damage in old age in much the same way as humans do.
The mice were divided into three groups while the first received a grape-enriched diet, the second a diet with added lutein while the last group were given a normal diet.
The results showed grapes proved to offer dramatic protection as the grape-enriched diet protected against oxidative damage of the retina and prevented blindness in those mice consuming grapes. While lutein was also effective, grapes were found to offer significantly more protection.
“The protective effect of the grapes in this study was remarkable, offering a benefit for vision at old age even if grapes were consumed only at young age,” said principal investigator Dr. Silvia Finnemann, of the Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University in New York. Dr. Finnemann’s study indicates agerelated vision loss is a result of cumulative, oxidative damage over time.
“A lifelong diet enriched in natural antioxidants, such as those in grapes, appears to be directly beneficial for RPE (retinal pigment epithelium cells) and retinal health and function.” According to her, aging of the retina is associated with increased levels of oxidative damage, and oxidative stress is thought to play a pivotal role in the development of age-related macular degeneration
. The study showed that adding grapes to the diet prevented blindness in mice by significantly decreasing the build-up of lipofuscin and preventing the oxidative damage to the RPE, thus ensuring optimal functioning of this critical part of the retina.
Besides the eyes, grapes have been discovered as a great source for maintaining good blood health, reduce the risk of hypertension, help with depression and improve immunity.
This is because it contains very significant minerals such as Manganese and Potassium. Other minerals found in grapes are Copper, Zinc, Calcium, Phosphorous, Iron and Selenium. Research findings also reveal that one of the most crucial benefits you’ll derive from eating grapes is production of antioxidants in your body.
Grapes are rich in antioxidants due to the presence of phytonutrients called polyphenols. These antioxidants bind with the “free radicals” present in your body and reduce the risk of plague formation on the arteries, thus improving the heart’s health. However, nutritionists also recommend them as snack fruits because they are choke full of essential vitamins like Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B and Folate.
Research also indicate that a four Oz serving of grapes can contain anywhere close to 20-25% of the daily required serving of Vitamin C. It would interest you to know that this fruit type which have been discovered to be overlooked by many also help in the generation of nitric oxide in the body.
This compound helps improve heart health by reducing blood clots, platelet aggregation and oxidation of LDL (which causes plagues on the arteries). The skin and seeds of grapes have equally been discovered to be as rich as the juice of the fruit because they contain resveratrol- a compound which keeps the heart muscles flexible and healthy.
This compound is also present in red wine thus explains why it has gained popularity as people who eat high fat diet have been found to have low heart disease stats due to their consumption of red wine and grapes.
This is so because grapes contain glucose based compound called Saponin which helps reduce the absorption of cholesterol and settles down inflammation path ways thus reducing the risk of heart diseases.
It has further been discovered that grapes have several anti-microbial properties but they are not harmful to the beneficial bacteria in the stomach. Tests have also shown that grape extracts inhibited the growth of 14 different types of harmful bacteria commonly found in human intestine and stomach including E coli, Salmonella and H. pylori; which causes stomach ulcers. To accrue these benefits and lot more, start consuming grapes as fresh fruits, in the form of red wine, grape juice or even as a dry fruit!