The benefits of grapes

Many studies have noted the health benefits of resveratrol – the antioxidant in grapes – but how does it work?

It’s well known that resveratrol, the antioxidant found in grapes, grape juice and wine, helps to protect against cancer, inflammation and even plaque formation in the brain, a process that occurs with Alzheimer’s disease. But now new research from UT Health Science Center San Antonio has pinpointed how it works.

What researchers have found is that resveratrol promotes the function of adiponectin, a protein hormone in the body. The hormone modulates certain functions including glucose regulation and fat processing. Through that modulation, it helps prevent the development of factors that lead to type 2 diabetes, obesity and artery hardening (atherosclerosis).

Purple grapes

Red wine and red grape juice are a better source of resveratrol simply because the liquid contains more of the nutrients from the skins, which is where the antioxidant substance is found. But there are other foods that also contain resveratrol: fruits such as mulberries, blueberries, cranberries have all been found to contain it.

Dark chocolate and real cocoa powder (not drinking chocolate) also contain levels of resveratrol, but far less than grape products – 0.35-1.85mg per kg of dark chocolate, compared to 1.14-8.69 for red grape juice.

“Usually the healthiest option is to try and obtain your nutrients from the freshest most natural source possible,” says registered nutritionist Carina Norris. “But in the case of resveratrol, the best source appears to be red wine. But that’s no excuse to overindulge, and some people can’t drink wine. You can also get lesser amounts from grape juice or red grapes or blueberries, for example. Chocolate certainly isn’t the best source, because of its high saturated fat levels.”