Consuming polyphenol-rich grapes may help protect heart health in people with metabolic syndrome by reducing blood pressure, improving blood flow and reducing inflammation, according to a new study published in the Journal of Nutrition.
Researchers at the Department of Nutritional Sciences of the University of Connecticut, recruited men between ages 30 and 70 years with metabolic syndrome to investigate the impact of grapes on metabolic syndrome. Participants were randomly assigned to consume grapes, in the form of a freeze-dried whole grape powder, or a placebo powder, for four weeks. Following a 3-week "washout" period where neither grapes nor placebo were consumed, individuals were allocated to the alternate treatment.
Results showed that for each of the study's subjects, grape consumption resulted in significant decreases in blood pressure, improved blood flow (greater vasodilation), and decreases in a compound associated with inflammation.
"These results suggest that consuming grapes can improve important risk factors associated with heart disease, in a population that is already at higher risk," the researchers said. "This further supports the accumulating evidence that grapes can positively influence heart health, and extends it to men with metabolic syndrome."
