Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of death in the world, and the risk of suffering from them could be reduced by eating grapes on a regular basis. This has been revealed by a study published in Nutrients and carried out by the University of California in Los Angeles (USA), after relating the intestinal microbiota, cardiovascular health and the consumption of grapes.
The small group analyzed consisted of 19 people between the ages of 21 and 55 who ingested about 46 grams of grape powder – about 40 whole grapes or two servings – a day and for a period of four weeks. In addition to including these amounts of the fruit in their diets, they also followed a diet low in fiber and plant chemicals (polyphenols).
After the month of study, the participants’ gut microbiome was found to be larger and their bad cholesterol (LDL) levels to be lower. They also found a reduction of almost half in the levels of bile acids, malignant fats that can generate clots that interrupt the proper flow of blood in the heart and brain, causing heart attacks or strokes.
Almost 6% less bad cholesterol thanks to grapes
Specifically, consuming grapes increased levels of Akkermansia bacteria, which previous studies have highlighted as having a positive impact on glucose levels, lipid metabolism, and strengthening the intestines. The authors also found a 6.1% drop in total cholesterol levels and a 5.9% reduction in LDL. And they also found that some steroid acids in the bile were reduced by 40.9%.
Eating grapes can help reduce total cholesterol by 6.1%, bad cholesterol by 5.9%, and lowers steroid acids in bile by up to 40.9%.
The researchers have emphasized that these results show the increase in health was more significant in those people who rarely eat fruits and vegetables. This indicates that a small change in lifestyle, such as eating grapes as a snack between meals or as a dessert, can reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
“Grapes provide a rich source of polyphenols and fibers. Our results provide novel preliminary insights into the effects of grape ingestion on the gut microbiome, host cholesterol, and bile acid metabolism. These data will help in future study design to explore the health benefits of grape consumption,” said Zhaoping Li, lead author of the study.
.
