Does Grape Juice Offer the Same Health Benefits as Red Wine?

“Does grape juice offer the same health benefits as red wine?” asked one of our Daily Health readers, Ken Hearne, in a recent e-mail. My first reaction was to say: Probably. With further investigation I found that my gut feeling was spot-on.

How do you drink yours?

Before we start you should know that it’s not just the alcohol in red wine that contributes to its health benefits. The key component in red wine that promotes health is Resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant.

Grapes produce Resveratrol to fight bacteria and fungi and it’s found in heavy concentration in the skin of grapes. The amount of Resveratrol found in red grapes is much higher than in white grapes. Resveratrol belongs to a family of compounds known as polyphenols. These compounds have been linked to good health in a variety of ways including helping to prevent two of Britain’s biggest killers – heart disease and cancer.

Let’s look at a few facts on Resveratrol:

• Resveratrol has antibiotic capabilities and provides many health benefits including protection from diseases and viral infections.
• Resveratrol also works as an antioxidant, anti-mutagen and a strong anti-inflammatory.
• As antioxidant one of its beneficial health effects is fighting cancer.
• It’s capable of decreasing atherosclerosis, which is the hardening of the artery walls which may interfere with blood flow.
• Studies have shown that Resveratrol could play a role in controlling diseases such as arthritis and autoimmune disorder.

Several studies indicate red and purple grapes may have the same health benefits as red wine. The same Resveratrol (antioxidant) that enhances the health properties of red wine is in grape juice - especially juice made from the dark purple Concorde grapes. That is terrific news for anyone that chooses not to consume alcohol but still wants the health benefits you can get from drinking red wine.

Make mine a double

So what are the other health benefits hiding in your glass of red grape juice?

Reduces the risk blood clots

Reduces low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or ‘bad’) cholesterol

Increase the production of HDL (‘good’)

cholesterol and lessens the risk of clogged arteries

Prevents damage to blood vessels in your heart

A daily glass of red grape juice helps maintain healthy blood pressure

The benefits of red grape juice not only hit the heart but also the brain. The antioxidants mop up the harmful free radicals generated when cells burn oxygen for energy. Antioxidants in red grape juice keep the clotting factors clear in the arteries and increase the production of nitric oxide, which gives a better blood flow to the brain. More blood to the brain means more oxygen to the brain.

Current research, still in the early stages, suggests that the antioxidants in red grape juice may also protect the brain cells directly. Experiments at Tufts University in the US, suggest red grape juice improves the strength, memory and coordination of the brain.

Grapes versus Juice

The flavonoids that give grapes their health benefits also give them their colour. Research of antioxidant properties focused on Concord grape juice, made of dark purple Concord grapes since they have a thick dark purple skin - filled with antioxidant-goodness.

Concord grape juice is a more potent source of antioxidants than the grapes alone. Most of the antioxidants are in the skin and seeds of the grapes. In the process of making the juice the skin and seeds stay mixed for an extended period of time, allowing the antioxidants to seep into the juice. Since many people don’t eat the seeds of grapes they miss out on many of the antioxidants even when they eat the grapes straight from the vine.

Concord grape juice is extremely rich in antioxidants, even more than red wine and twice the amount found in cranberry juice. It’s easy to work grape juice into your diet. One or two servings a day will make part of your recommended five-a-day. Since grape juice contains sugar, you shouldn’t drink it as a replacement for water, but rather a replacement for fizzy drinks and flavoured beverages or as a compliment to your meal.

Concord grape juice is well recognised in the US, but is a relative newcomer to the UK market. You should be able to find it at your local health food store.

Music festival goers could seriously damage their hearing. A poll of over 3,700 people for the Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID) found over half felt loud music had damaged their ears. Over 80 per cent experienced the warning signs of damage indicated by dulled hearing or ringing in the ears. The RNID said people could take simple steps like standing away from the speakers to protect their hearing.

While half of the pole-participants experienced pain in their ears while listening to loud music, only 17 per cent had ever taken steps to protect their hearing such as: turning the music down, stepping away from speakers and taking regular breaks.

Men were the least likely to protect their hearing. 59 per cent of men aged 26-40 said they had listened to music that was loud enough to hurt their ears, while 66 per cent of those aged 26-30 believed they had already damaged their hearing.

Sources:

‘Health Benefits of Resveratrol’ published online 13/04/08, healthtreatment.org

‘ Grape juice: Same heart benefits as wine?’ by Dr. Martha Grogan, Mayo Clinic, published online 25/07/07, mayoclinic.com

‘Concord Grape Juice has heart-health benefits like red wine’ published online 31/21/07, medicalnewstoday.com

‘Grape juice beats wine in new antioxidant tests’ published online 28/10/04, medicalnewstoday.com

‘Grape Skin Protein Kills Cancer Cells’ published online 26/05/04, articles.mercola.com

‘The secret life of grape juice’ by Lauren Aaronson, Psychology Today, published online true.com/magazine/pop

‘Hearing risk for festival goers’ published online 05/09/08, news.bbc.co.uk