Grape’s potential uncorked
Much has been made of red wine’s purported ability to reduce the risk of heart disease, but now a study has found that wine’s milder cousin may benefit the heart as well.
The first study in which Concord grape juice was put up against a placebo -- a drink that looked and tasted like grape juice -- showed that the real juice lowered blood pressure enough to reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease.
For the record:
12:00 a.m. May 5, 2003 For The Record
Los Angeles Times Tuesday April 29, 2003 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 45 words Type of Material: Correction
Blood pressure -- An April 21 Health section story about grape juice’s possible ability to lower blood pressure incorrectly referred to systolic blood pressure as the bottom number of a blood pressure reading. The systolic is the top number; the diastolic is the bottom number.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Monday May 05, 2003 Home Edition Health Part F Page 8 Features Desk 1 inches; 43 words Type of Material: Correction
Blood pressure -- An April 21 story about grape juice’s possible ability to lower blood pressure incorrectly referred to systolic blood pressure as the bottom number of a blood pressure reading. The systolic is the top number; the diastolic is the bottom number.
Eighty healthy men drank about 12 ounces a day of either grape juice or the placebo beverage. After 12 weeks, men with high blood pressure who drank grape juice had nearly a 6-point drop in their systolic and diastolic blood pressures. Men with high blood pressure who drank the placebo had no pressure change. Those with average blood pressure experienced no change from either drink.
According to the National High Blood Pressure Education Program, lowering the systolic (the bottom number of a blood pressure reading) just five points reduces the risk of death from stroke 14% and results in a 9% reduction in heart disease.
According to study author Kevin Maki, previous studies show that grape juice improves flexibility of artery walls, which improves blood flow. Also, oxidation of unhealthy LDL cholesterol particles allows them to be taken up by the artery walls. The antioxidants in grape juice may slow the oxidation, says Maki, who is director of the nutrition and metabolism research unit of Radiant Research in Chicago.
The study, funded by Welch Foods, was presented at last week’s Experimental Biology meeting in San Diego.
