Grapes and Brain Health

 

 

Fresh grapes of all colors -- red, green and black – are classically beautiful and a pleasure to eat. But there is more to grapes just being a natural mix of antioxidants that help support a healthy heart and may offer an array of other health benefits. The humble grapes which were sour to the fox are also known to benefit your brain. Studies have shown that grapes or grape constituents may help protect brain health by offsetting oxidative stress and inflammation, or by targeting the actions of certain genes involved in diseases of the brain, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease as shown in preliminary laboratory studies.

A study of aging mice that were either consuming a diet with or without grapes, found that the grape-enriched diet was able to dramatically increase the expression of critical target genes that block the Alzheimer's pathway and decrease inflammation in the brain. [Klein, et al. presented at Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, 2007]

 

Resveratrol has been shown to block the actions of beta amyloid peptide, a key protein that promotes the development of Alzheimer's. [Savaskan, et. al, 2003; Marambaud et al, 2005] and  Resveratrol and other antioxidants protects the  Parkinson's-like nerve cells against oxidative damage. [Frankel D and Schipper HM, 1999].

And the other aspect about grapes is that it contains no fat, almost no sodium and are low in fat and contains potassium. And not to forget they taste good, are widely available and maintain their fresh, crispy goodness longer than most other fruit.