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GRAPES PREVENT HEART ATTACKS
A study from France shows that drinking wine regularly helps prevent second heart attacks, while a study from the University of Connecticut shows that the source of protection may be a chemical in grapes, and not the wine itself. In the first study, half of 350 heart attack victims were placed on a typical high-fat Western diet and half ate the plant-based Mediterranean Diet. In both groups, wine drinkers had 59 percent fewer second heart attacks (1).
The second study showed that a standardized grape extract with no alcohol prevented heart muscle damage in rats, but only at a dose of 100 or more mg per kilogram of body weight. The authors showed that standard grape extract reduced heart levels of malonaldehyde, superoxide, and hydroxyl radicals in rats, signifying powerful antioxidant activity when the heart muscle of rats can't get enough oxygen. Prevention of heart attacks may come from the grapes and not the alcohol.
1) September 17, 2002 Circulation.
2) Cardioprotection with grapes. Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology, 2002, Vol 40, Iss 5, pp 760-767. JH Cui, B Juhasz, A Tosaki, N Maulik, DK Das. Das DK, Univ Connecticut, Sch Med, Cardiovasc Res Ctr, Farmington,CT 06030 USA
Checked 9/3/05