Benefits of Concord and Purple Grape Products
Grape juice and grape jellies and jams are long-time favorites of children and adults alike. These products contain natural carbohydrates that are easily digested and provide instant energy. America’s favorite grape juice and grape jelly come from Concord grapes. Concord grape juice, jams and jellies are low in sodium and contain no fat or cholesterol. One cup of 100% Concord grape juice contains 75% of the potassium of a banana. As with other natural fruit products, Concord grape juice contains a variety of naturally occurring vitamins and minerals.
Recent research on phytochemicals has focused on flavonoids contained in Concord and other purple grape juice. Concord grape products fit perfectly into the movement toward more healthy eating. Research regarding the health benefits of grapes and grape products is ongoing.
See information on recent studies below:
Contact:
Regina Ragoe, M.S., R.D. (212) 679-6600
New Study Suggests Concord Grape Juice May Provide Protection Against Breast Cancer
Every three minutes, a woman in the United States is diagnosed with breast cancer(1). While factors like age and heredity contribute significantly to a woman's likelihood of contracting this disease, lifestyle and nutrition choices may also play a role. One dietary choice that may help provide protection against breast cancer is a glass of 100 percent grape juice made from deep purple Concord grapes.
According to a new study, published in the current issue of the Journal of Medicinal Foods, natural compounds in Concord grape juice protected healthy human breast cells from DNA damage. Healthy human breast cells were exposed in a test tube to an environmental carcinogen, benzo(a)pyrene, that is able to initiate a chain of events leading to breast cancer. However, the introduction of Concord grape juice compounds blocked the connection of the carcinogen to the DNA of the healthy cells.
"The purple grape compounds demonstrated the capacity to inhibit DNA adduct formation as well as to increase the activity of enzymes that metabolize and detoxify carcinogens, and suppress potentially cancer-causing oxidative stress," said Dr. Keith Singletary, nutrition professor and lead researcher at the University of Illinois. "These new data suggest that anthocyanins present in Concord grape juice, as well as some other fruits and juices, warrant further study for their breast cancer chemopreventive potential."
This research is the latest to suggest that Concord grape juice may be of value in maintaining breast health by suppressing oxidative stress and inhibiting DNA damage to cells that can lead to the initiation of cancer, or in helping to slow the progression of breast cancer by slowing the multiplication of cancer cells. Diets high in natural antioxidants have been associated with a reduced the risk of some types of cancers, and Welch's 100% Grape Juice made from Concord grapes is particularly high in anthocyanins, potent natural antioxidants that give the juice its characteristic deep purple color.
At the same time, drinking Concord grape juice can be good for the heart -- much like red wine. And so, with the link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer causing concern for some women, drinking 100 percent grape juice made from Concord grapes can help your heart and perhaps your breast health.
Welch Foods Inc. is committed to supporting independent research exploring the role of Concord grape juice in a healthy lifestyle, and provided the Concord grape juice compounds for this study.
(1) American Cancer Society, "Detailed Guide: Breast Cancer," 2006
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Contact:
Julie McQuain, (212) 477-0472
Drinking Concord Grape Juice May Reduce Blood Pressure In Hypertensive Men
-- One
of first juice studies to feature randomized, double-blind,
placebo-controlled design yields significant blood pressure data --
San Diego, CA (April 14, 2003)-Men with elevated blood pressure who drank Concord grape juice for twelve weeks experienced a significant drop in both their systolic and diastolic blood pressures, according to results from a preliminary study presented at Experimental Biology 2003.
"This is one of the first randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies to use a whole juice-in this case Concord grape juice," explains study author Kevin Maki, Ph.D., Director, Nutrition and Metabolism Research Unit, Radiant Research, Chicago. "In our study, blood pressure was measured as part of the basic health information of the study participants. When we reviewed the data, we saw reductions of nearly six points in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements among the hypertensive men drinking Concord grape juice. Those on the calorie-matched placebo showed no significant change."
The study, presented at the annual meeting of FASEB, the Federation for American Societies of Experimental Biology, looked at 80 healthy males, ages 45 to 70. For 12 weeks, half drank an average of 12 ounces of Concord grape juice per day and half drank the same amount of a placebo beverage designed to look and taste like grape juice.
Median baseline systolic blood pressure was 132 mm Hg. At the conclusion of the study, the 19 participants with above-median systolic blood pressure who drank Concord grape juice showed a drop from an average baseline systolic blood pressure of 142.7 mm Hg to 137.0 (p< 0.05), and from 87.9 to 82.1 mm Hg (p<0.05) for diastolic blood pressure. The 17 participants with above-median blood pressure who consumed the placebo showed no change from baseline. The systolic and diastolic differences between treatments were significant (p<0.05).
"While additional studies are necessary to confirm these results, it is exciting that drinking Concord grape juice every day may be an easy way for hypertensive individuals to significantly lower their blood pressure," notes Maki.
The US National High Blood Pressure Education Program estimates that lowering systolic blood pressure by 5 points would result in a 14% reduction in deaths from stroke and a 9% reduction from heart disease.
The study authors point to two previous clinical studies showing that consuming Concord grape juice improved arterial wall flexibility (demonstrated by increased flow-mediated vasodilation) as suggesting a possible mechanism of action for the reduced blood pressure. Recent research has also shown the ability of purple grape juice to slow the oxidation of LDL cholesterol as well as inhibit the tendency of blood to clot. Both functions contribute to maintaining healthy cardiovascular function.
The study was underwritten by Welch Foods Inc.
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Contact:
Julie McQuain, (212) 477-0472
Study Shows Drinking Concord Grape Juice Slowed LDL Oxidation; Inhibiting One Mechanism By Which "Bad" Cholesterol May Contribute To Cardiovascular Disease
Rate at which body oxidizes cholesterol may contribute to cardiovascular disease
Concord, MA (November 26, 2002)-Lowering LDL cholesterol is a well-accepted means of reducing the likelihood of heart disease. Now, in a new research study drinking Concord grape juice slowed the oxidation of LDL in the body, which according to the study's author, may complement LDL reduction in the battle for a healthy heart.
"We know that high levels of LDL cholesterol in the body contribute to heart disease," explains Ishwarlal Jialal, M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Department of Pathology and Internal Medicine, University of California, Davis. "What is also important to understand is that the LDL is relatively harmless unless it oxidizes within the arterial wall. So on one hand, we should strive to maintain healthy LDL levels in the body. At the same time, taking steps to impede the oxidation of LDL is a complementary pathway to cardiovascular health."
Subjects who drank Concord grape juice for two weeks showed a marked improvement in the resistance of their LDL cholesterol to oxidation. The study is published in the December issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
As LDL cholesterol (the so-called "bad" cholesterol) circulates in the blood stream, it will occasionally penetrate the lining of the artery and occupy space within the arterial wall. In normal circumstances, it returns to the blood stream and continues to circulate. However, there is growing evidence that when the LDL oxidizes while in the arterial wall, it can initiate a cascade of events that lead to inflammation, atherosclerosis, and, eventually, arterial blockage that can lead to a heart attack or stroke. The more resistant the LDL is to oxidation-as in this study with people drinking Concord grape juice-the less likely the LDL is to contribute to this process.
"We compared subjects who drank Concord grape juice with similar individuals consuming vitamin E and found comparable effects on resistance to LDL oxidation-an important indicator of oxidative stress-and on ORAC capacity," says Jialal. "We also found that the juice decreased plasma protein oxidation-another oxidative stress marker-better than the vitamin E."
Dr. Jialal goes on to suggest that consuming Concord grape juice for longer periods of time-the subjects participated in the study for only two weeks-may provide increased protection from oxidative stress and inflammation.
"The take-away from this study is that we saw a potent antioxidant effect in both plasma and LDL cholesterol while seeing no corresponding increase in levels of vitamin E or C," explains Dr. Jialal. "This means that we can attribute the antioxidant effect directly to absorbed flavonoids found in the Concord grape juice,"
The research was funded
by the National Institutes of Health and Welch Foods, Inc.
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Contact:
MAMMOTH GROUP, INC
Geoffrey Raymond, (212) 675-2250
Julie McQuain, (212) 477-0472
SOURCE: WELCH FOODS, INC.
Purple Grape Juice May Provide Welcome Option for Women Worried About Urinary Tract Infections, According to Welch's
Compounds in grape juice as effective as those in cranberry juice in reducing bacterial adhesion associated with UTI
CONCORD, Mass.--(BW HealthWire)--Nov. 8, 2001-- In laboratory tests, compounds found in purple grape juice were as effective as those found in cranberry juice in blocking the bacterial adhesion that is thought to contribute to urinary tract infections. Urinary tract infections are a painful condition that affects nearly ten million Americans each year, mostly women, and are the country's second most commonly treated infection.
``It is well accepted that drinking cranberry juice reduces the incidence of urinary tract infection in women,'' explains David Mark, Ph.D., R&D manager, Health and Nutrition, for Welch Foods Inc., which sponsored the study. ``This effect is attributed to compounds in the juice called proanthocyanidins. In our in vitro study, the proanthocyanidins from purple grape juice showed similar anti-adhesive qualities as those from cranberry juice.''
Urinary tract infections occur when E. coli, a common bacterium, adheres to the lining of the bladder, colonizes and infects the bladder and urinary tract. The study, conducted five separate times, compared proanthocyanidins from Welch's Purple 100% Grape Juice against those from both Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice Cocktail and 100% cranberry juice in their effect against E. coli and found that the grape juice proanthocyanidins provided comparable bacterial anti-adhesion. The study was designed to replicate previous published research on the anti-adhesive properties of proanthocyanidins extracted from cranberries, by measuring the inhibition of E. coli adhesion to target cells in cell cultures.
``We think this is good news for the consumer,'' adds Mark. ``More and more Americans are drinking purple grape juice for their heart health. Now people concerned about urinary tract health may have another effective, good tasting option to consider.''
Purple grape juice has been shown to enhance cardiovascular function in a number of previous preliminary clinical studies. One serving of Welch's Purple 100% grape juice contains 100% of the RDA of vitamin C and counts towards the USDA goal of five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. According to a USDA study, purple grape juice also has three times the antioxidant power of such popular juices as grapefruit, orange, tomato and apple. It also carries the American Heart Association's HeartCheck symbol.
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Contact:
Geoffrey Raymond (212) 675-2250
Drinking Purple Grape Juice Daily Improves Arterial Elasticity In Patients With Heart Disease
-- Researchers see beneficial effects of juice at lower doses than previously tested --
Concord, MA (September 1, 2001)-Patients with narrowing of the coronary arteries who drank purple grape juice daily for eight weeks showed significant improvement in their arterial function, according to researchers at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine. The researchers also found that purple grape juice achieves its effect independently of vitamin E, and at quantities lower than previously tested.
The study, published in the September issue of The American Journal of Cardiology, looked at the effect of drinking purple grape juice on flow mediated vasodilation-a measurement of the ability of the artery to relax and expand to accommodate increased blood flow. This represents a good gauge for measuring general arterial health, and the arteries of patients with vascular coronary disease typically do not relax well.
Eighteen men and four women with severely compromised arterial function drank purple grape juice over an eight week span. Half the participants consumed about 21 ounces of juice, depending on body weight. The others consumed half that dose-on average about ten ounces of juice a day. At the end of eight weeks, both groups showed a similar response-roughly doubling their flow mediated dilation (from 1.3% to 2.9%).
"It is interesting to see that the response to juice was approximately the same at both the higher and lower doses," notes James H. Stein, M.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine and senior author of the study. "The previous work we have done has been at slightly higher dosing levels. Now we are seeing that patients with severe vascular disease are responding to smaller quantities of juice-doses averaging ten ounces per day, depending on body weight."
As part of the study design, vitamin E supplementation (400 IU) was included in the subjects's diet after four weeks. The study found that the effects of the juice were independent of the presence of vitamin E.
While a previous study reported a larger increase in flow mediated dilation, the researchers point to several factors contributing to this study's results. First, participants in this study had, on average, more severe arterial disease. Second, juice in this study was stored in a manner that may have adversely affected its potency. Third, study subjects, because of the severity of their disease, were typically taking statins, beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers, common prescriptions drugs which may also, according to the researchers, have had a mediating effect on some of the findings reported in the study.
Researchers also found that after eight weeks of juice consumption, increases in lipid levels and triglycerides were not significant. Changes in insulin and glucose levels were also not statistically significant.
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Contact:
Julie McQuain: (212) 675-2250
Two Recent Studies Point To "Heart-Healthy" Effects Of Drinking Purple Grape Juice
Circulation Study Identifies Dual Mechanisms of Action for Beneficial Effects of Purple Grape Juice in Humans
Atherosclerosis Study Shows Purple Grape Juice Inhibits Atherosclerosis and Reduces Cholesterol At Least As Well as Red Wine or Dealcoholized Red Wine in Animal Model
Concord, MA - Two separate studies recently published in leading cardiovascular research journals-one looking at mechanism of action; the other looking at clinical outcomes-point to the "heart healthy" benefits of drinking purple grape juice. In the June 12th issue of Circulation, the official journal of the American Heart Association, researchers showed that drinking grape juice not only has a direct effect on important biological functions like blood clotting but it also appears to increase the body's levels of valuable antioxidants while reducing free radical production.
"This study gives us new insight into how purple grape juice may improve cardiovascular function," explains Jane E. Freedman, M.D., assistant professor of medicine and pharmacology at Georgetown University and the lead author of the study. "What we are seeing for the first time is that the flavonoids in purple grape juice work in two related ways: First, they have a protective effect on vitamin E and other antioxidants, allowing them to remain active longer, while at the same time lowering production of superoxide-a free radical. Second, they also seem to have a direct, positive effect on a number of biological functions like nitric oxide production and inhibition of platelets, or the cells that cause clots, both of which are important protective factors as well."
"This study also supports our previous work published in the Journal of Nutrition, March, 2000," adds John D. Folts, Ph.D., director of the Coronary Thrombosis Research and Prevention Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, and a co-author of the Circulation study. "That study demonstrated a reduction in clotting in healthy volunteers who consumed purple grape juice daily. More importantly, this study helps explain a mechanism behind the protective effects of purple grape juice."
In the May, 2001 issue of Atherosclerosis, researchers compared the effects of drinking purple grape juice, red wine, and dealcoholized red wine in hamsters. They found that purple grape juice, when compared to red wine and dealcoholized red wine, was at least as effective at:
"This study tells us some important things," explains Joe A. Vinson, Ph.D., Professor of Chemistry at The University of Scranton, the study's lead author. "First, that purple grape juice offers significant cardioprotective benefits in test animals, including fighting the buildup of atherosclerosis-an effect we have not seen before. Second, it suggests that the role alcohol plays in improving cardiovascular function may not be as significant as previously thought."
"Dr. Vinson's study in Atherosclerosis suggests that purple grape juice performs as well as red wine in many important measurements including cholesterol levels and the actual development of atherosclerosis," adds Dr. Folts. "Certainly Dr. Vinson's line of research needs to be repeated in human subjects, but one could easily envision a connection between what the mechanisms of action we identified in our study and the clinical outcomes that Dr. Vinson is seeing in his animal work."
Dr. Freedman's work was primarily funded by the National Institutes of Health (National Heart. Lung and Blood Institute) and also by an unrestricted research grant from Welch Foods Inc. Dr. Vinson's research was supported by The University of Scranton.
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Embargo: This Information is Embargoed by Circulation Until 4:00 P.M., September 6, 1999
Contact:
Julie McQuain: (212) 477-0472
Geoffrey Raymond: (212) 675-2250
Circulation Article Reports Ways Purple Grape Juice May Fight Narrowing of the Arteries
-- Clinician cites effect of the juice in study on contributors to coronary artery disease --
Researchers from the University of Wisconsin Medical School have identified ways in which drinking purple grape juice may fight atherosclerosis, or narrowing of the arteries, according to a study in the September 7th issue of Circulation, a journal published by the American Heart Association. The study showed that when fifteen subjects, all people with coronary artery disease, drank purple grape juice for two weeks, the elasticity of their blood vessels significantly increased and the rate at which their LDL cholesterol oxidized significantly decreased.
“This is of great interest,” notes John Folts, Ph.D., “because it suggests that consuming purple grape juice could positively effect the atherosclerotic process in several important ways. Previously, much of the potential benefit of consuming purple grape juice was attributed to its apparent ability to make the blood less likely to clot. Now we see that there appear to be two other beneficial factors at work as well.”
Dr. Folts, the senior author of the study and director of the Coronary Thrombosis Research and Prevention Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin Medical School, has conducted extensive research in this area, with much of his previous work focusing on the ability of grape products to reduce the stickiness of blood platelets.
“There are a number of primary contributors to atherosclerosis,” explains Folts, “Three of them are the stickiness of our blood, the reduced flexibility of our arteries, and the speed at which we oxidize LDL cholesterol. In previous studies, we saw that drinking purple grape juice reduced blood stickiness. What this study suggests is that drinking the juice has a beneficial effect on two other primary contributors as well.”
Vasodilation
The ability of the blood vessels to expand in response to increased blood flow and thus deliver more oxygen where it’s needed is called flow-mediated vasodilation. It is indicative of the health of the endothelium—the layer of cells which lines the interior wall of all the blood vessels in the body. When the endothelium is impaired, such as in people with existing coronary artery disease, blood vessels are less able to respond to the sudden need for increased blood flow. They are also more susceptible to atherosclerosis, or narrowing of the arteries, and blood clot formation.
When blood clots in a narrowed artery, a heart attack or stroke may occur. The study looked at fifteen men and women (average age 62.5 ± 12.7) with coronary artery disease. Each person drank approximately 7 cc/kg/day of the juice for 14 days. Flow mediated vasodilation—the ability of the arteries to expand in response to increased flow of blood—was measured at baseline as 2.2mm ±2.9%. After the juice was consumed for 14 days, flow mediated dilation was measured again and found to be 6.4mm ±4.7% (p= 0.003), resulting in a mean change of 4.2mm ±2.9% (p<0.001)—almost triple the previous ability of the blood vessels to respond to increased blood flow.
LDL Oxidation Rates
In studying LDL oxidation, blood samples were drawn and LDL oxidation lag time was measured for each subject at the beginning of the study and then again at its conclusion. Lag time measurement is a commonly used method for determining how long it takes for cholesterol to oxidize when exposed to certain oxidant chemicals. The longer the lag time, the slower the onset of LDL oxidation. The slower the onset of oxidation, the less likely that oxidation will contribute to atherosclerosis, since oxidized cholesterol contributes to the build-up of plaque in the arteries.
Among the entire group, the lag time improved by 34.5% (p= 0.015). At the beginning of the study the average lag time was 87 minutes (± 29 minutes). After the juice was consumed for 14 days, lag time was measured again. After the juice, average lag time improved to 117 minutes (± 23 minutes). Eleven patients in the study were consuming vitamin E (400IU/day). For them, the initial lag time was 86 minutes (± 33 minutes); after drinking the juice it improved to 121 minutes (± 24 minutes).
“People with excellent cardiovascular health usually have healthy endothelial function, a slow onset of LDL oxidation and moderate blood platelet activity,” notes Folts. “This study suggests that drinking purple grape juice may promote these heart healthy mechanisms. Combined with what we have learned from previous studies on grape juice’s ability to decrease platelet activity, it makes sense to include daily consumption of purple grape juice as part of a diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in saturated fat.”
Welch’s Purple 100% Grape Juice has been certified by the American Heart Association for its HeartCheck program. The study was underwritten, in part, by the Oscar Rennenbohm Foundation, Madison, WI; the Nutricia Research Foundation, The Netherlands; and Welch Foods Inc., A Cooperative, Concord, MA.
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Note to Editor: Complete study citation: Stein JH, Keevil JG, Aeschlimann S, Folts JD, Purple grape juice improves endothelial function and reduces the susceptibility of LDL cholesterol in patients with coronary artery disease. Circulation, September 7, 1999
Embargoed by the Federation of American Societies of Experimental Biology (FASEB) until 11:00 a.m., April 19, 1999
Contact:
John Carney: (212) 477-0472
Rich Belanger/Geoffrey Raymond: (212) 675-2250
Dangerous Cardiovascular Effect of Second Hand Smoke May Be Reduced By Drinking Purple Grape Juice
Washington, DC—A new, preliminary animal study suggests that purple grape juice may block a dangerous cardiovascular effect of second hand smoke. The research presented at the annual meeting of the Federation of American Societies of Experimental Biology in Washington, DC (FASEB) reported that consuming purple grape juice neutralized the ability of tobacco smoke to increase the stickiness of blood platelets in laboratory animals exposed to second hand smoke. Increased platelet stickiness is a well-accepted contributor to atherosclerosis, heart attack and stroke.
“Cigarette smoking, and probably second hand smoke is a serious health risk,” notes John D. Folts, Ph.D., author of the study. “It increases the activity of our platelets; it impedes the functioning of our blood vessel linings; and it speeds the oxidation of cholesterol. These are three of the primary mechanisms that contribute to the development of coronary artery disease. Interestingly enough, purple grape juice appears to exert a beneficial effect on these three contributors.”
Second hand smoke is not only dangerous, it is pervasive. According to the American Cancer Society, 53,000 people will die each year of exposure to second hand smoke; roughly two thirds of those because of cardiovascular disease. The ACS also says that 20-25% of American households include at least one smoker—thus putting the other household members, adults and children alike, at increased risk of heart disease.
Platelet aggregation—or so-called “stickiness”—refers to the blood’s tendency to form clots and adhere to imperfections in the walls of blood vessels. Clots may form temporary blockages that reduce or stop the flow of blood through blood vessels. High levels of platelet aggregation have been shown to be a contributing factor for heart attack and stroke. The study presented at FASEB looked at the effect of exposure to second-hand smoke on the platelet activity of 8 anesthetized laboratory monkeys. Aggregation tests were performed to measure platelet activity at the beginning of the study—to establish a baseline—then after an acute exposure to second hand smoke. The tests were administered again after consumption of purple grape juice (12ml/kg of body weight) and then after a second exposure to the tobacco smoke. The tests showed that platelet activity increased from baseline by more than 50% after the initial exposure to second hand smoke. After the juice had been consumed, platelet activity fell to below the baseline measurement. A second exposure to the smoke had no effect on platelet aggregation; it remained below the baseline level.
“A great deal of research has been done on the negative effects of smoking and smoke exposure on our cardiovascular function,” observes Dr. Folts. “Although the study was small and conducted on anesthetized animals, the results are very interesting. What we found in this study is consistent with our previous research in humans and animals. Grape juice appears to be a potent inhibitor of platelet activity—and that is an area where we see the cigarette smoke doing a lot of damage.”
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in January of 1998 (JAMA 1998;279:119-124) quantified for the first time the dangers of second hand smoke, finding a 20% greater progression of atherosclerosis among subjects routinely exposed to environmental tobacco smoke than to those who avoided the smoke over a span of three years. Smokers themselves experienced a 50% greater progression of atherosclerosis over the three-year period as compared to people who had never smoked. A study published in the March 25th, 1999 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM 1999;340:920-926 {958-959, accompanying editorial}) analyzed the results of 18 different studies of the effects of smoke exposure conducted between 1984 and 1997 and further underscored the dangers of second hand smoke.
Folts stresses, however, that the findings of his study did not measure the effect of drinking juice on the platelet activity of regular or active smokers, nor should the study be interpreted as providing a way to make smoking less dangerous.
“Smoking is one of the most destructive things we can do for our health, and for the health of people around us.” he notes. “Even though we see some potential protective effect from purple grape juice, smoke is so bad for us in so many ways, we should still avoid smoking or the exposure to smoke.”
The study was supported by the Oscar Rennenbohm Foundation, Madison, WI. Welch Foods, Inc. provides general funding to the University of Wisconsin’s Coronary Thrombosis Research and Prevention Laboratory.
The Concord Grape Association is an association of growers and processors that handle more than 90 percent of the Concord grapes processed annually in the U.S.
Copyright © 2004 Concord Grape Association
Copyright © 2004 Concord Grape Association