A brand new study suggests that alcohol-free grape juice may provide some of the cardiovascular benefits seen in red wine. Over the last several years there has been great interest in the possible benefits of drinking red wine for people with cardiovascular disease. But it has been offset, to a certain extent, by concerns about promoting alcohol consumption. This concern has led to an exploration of non-alcoholic grape products.
The study was done on a group with previously diagnosed heart disease, and the group who drank Concord grape juice saw a "significant" increase in their levels of good HDL cholesterol according to researchers. The Concord grape juice drinking group also saw a decrease in levels of two indicators of inflammation. This is important as inflammation plays a key role in atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).
If you have heart disease or are looking to do all you can to help prevent it, you may want to check in with your doc and see about the possible benefits of grape juice. Perhaps you will begin your day in a new heart healthy way.
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