“Astonishing” effects of grape consumption and impact on health
Recent research released by Dr. John Pezzuto and his team from Western New England University shows “astonishing” effects of grape consumption and “remarkable” impacts on health and on lifespans.
One study was published in the journal Foods. It showed that adding grapes in an amount equal to just under two cups of grapes per day to a high-fat diet, typically consumed in western countries, yielded reductions in fatty liver and extended lifespans. Pezzuto noted that these studies add an entirely new dimension to the old saying ‘you are what you eat.’ He has authored over 600 scientific studies and said that the work with grapes showed actual changes in genetic expression. “That is truly remarkable.”
Adding grapes to a high-fat diet also increased levels of antioxidant genes and delayed natural death. Pezzuto acknowledged that it is not an exact science to translate years of lifespan from a mouse to a human. However, he said that his best estimate is that the change observed in the study would correspond to an additional 4-5 years in the life of a human.
Another study by Dr. Pezzuto and his team was published in the journal Antioxidants. It reported that grape consumption altered gene expression in the brain and had positive effects on behavior and cognition that were impaired by a high-fat diet. A third study, published by a team led by Dr. Jeffrey Idle in the journal Food & Function, showed that in addition to changes in genetic expression, grapes also change the metabolism.
