Polyphenol Antioxidants

Polyphenol antioxidants are a particular type of plant nutrient naturally found in fruits, vegetables and plant-derived beverages such as tea, coffee, red wine and our personal favorite, grape juice.

Welch's 100% Grape Juice has higher antioxidant power per serving than other popular 100% fruit juices – more than twice as high as orange juice.¹ Welch's 100% Grape Juice made from Concord grapes is a great complement to whole fruits and vegetables, and is a delicious and convenient way to consume more fruit, and in particular, more purple fruit, as part of a balanced diet.

Concord grapes pour health benefits into 100% Grape Juice

Concord grapes make one heart-healthy juice:

Supporting clear, healthy arteries, Studies suggest that polyphenol antioxidants in grape juice made from Concord grapes can help maintain clear, healthy arteries. ^2,3,4,5,6

Encourages flexible arteries. Grape juice made from Concord grapes provides many of the same heart-health benefits of red wine, without the concerns of alcohol. More than a decade’s worth of research suggests that drinking grape juice made from Concord grapes can help support a healthy heart by promoting flexible arteries, ^2,7,8,9,10 which can promote healthy circulation and blood pressure.

New areas of science:

Research suggests that 100% grape juice may contribute to a healthy immune system. Polyphenol antioxidants and vitamin C can help protect against damaging free radicals that can harm healthy cells. Welch's 100% Grape Juice is abundant in the antioxidant vitamin C, an essential nutrient which can help promote a healthy immune system. In addition, recent research found that drinking 100% grape juice daily can help contribute to a healthy immune system response. ^11,12

Emerging research suggests that what is good for the heart may also be good for the mind. A recent pilot study found that drinking Concord grape juice may provide benefit for older adults with early memory decline, and this indicates there is potential for Concord grape juice to support healthy brain function in older adults with early memory changes. ¹³ While these findings are preliminary, this research supports previous scientific studies that appear to indicate that a diet including antioxidants, such as those found in fruits, vegetables and their juices, may help slow age-related cognitive decline. ¹⁴

Preliminary study findings suggest that grape juice made from Concord grapes may help support healthy blood pressure. Science supports that grapes juice made from the Concord grape may contribute to healthy blood pressure in certain populations. ^15,16,17 In fact, one recent study showed that Concord grape juice may have a beneficial impact on nocturnal blood pressure (blood pressure at night), which is an indicator of healthy blood pressure regulation. ¹⁸

References:

1. U.S. Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service. Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) of Selected Foods – 2007. http://www.ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=15866. 2007. (Accessed: Nov. 30, 2007). The USDA ORAC database reports antioxidant power per 100 grams - for this comparison the study values have been converted to values per 8 oz. serving size for the beverages.
2. Stein JH, Keevil JG, Wiebe DA, Aeschlimann S and Folts JD. Purple grape juice improves endothelial function and reduces the susceptibility of LDL cholesterol to oxidation in patients with coronary artery disease. Circulation. 1999. 100(10):1050-1055.
3. O'Byrne DJ, Devaraj, S. Grundy, SM. Jialal, I. Comparison of the antioxidant effects of Concord grape juice flavonoids and tocopherol on markers of oxidative stress in healthy adults. Am J Clin Nutr. 2002. 76:1367-1374.
4. Vinson JA, Yang J, Proch J and Liang X. Grape juice, but not orange juice, has in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo antioxidant properties. J Med Food. 2000. 3(4):167-171.
5. Shanmuganayagam D, Warner TF, Krueger CG, Reed JD, and Folts JD. Concord grape juice attenuates platelet aggregation, serum cholesterol, and development of atheroma in hypercholesterolemic rabbits.
6. Vinson JA, Teufel K and Wu N. Red wine, dealcoholized red wine, and especially grape juice, inhibit atherosclerosis in a hamster model. Atherosclerosis. 2001. 156(1):67-72.
7. Anselm E, Chataigneau M, Ndiaye M, Chataigneau T and Schini-Kerth VB. Grape juice causes endothelium-dependent relaxation via a redox-sensitive Src- and Akt-dependent activation of eNOS. Cardiovasc Res. 2007. 73(2):404-413.
8. Freedman JE, Parker C, 3rd, Li L, Perlman JA, Frei B, Ivanov V, Deak LR, Iafrati MD and Folts JD. Select flavonoids and whole juice from purple grapes inhibit platelet function and enhance nitric oxide release. Circulation. 2001. 103(23):2792-2798.Mark DA and Maki K. Concord grape juice reduces blood pressure in men with high systolic blood pressure. 2003. Presented at Experimental Biology 2003. April 11-15. San Diego, CA.
9. Chou EJ, Keevil JG, Aeschlimann S, Wiebe DA, Folts JD, Stein JH. Effect of ingestion of purple grape juice on endothelial function in patients with coronary heart disease. Am J Cardiol 2001 Sep 1;88:553-5.
10. Fitzpatrick DF, Hirschfield SL, Coffey RG. Endothelium-dependent vasorelaxing activity of wine and other grape products. Am J Physiol. 1993 Aug;265:H774-8.
11. Nantz MP, Rowe CA, Nieves C and Percival SS. Bioactive compounds from Concord grapes prime ?d T cells and reduce DNA strand breaks. Presented at Experimental Biology 2008. San Diego, CA. April 5-9, 2008.
12. Percival SS. Grape Consumption Supports Immunity in Animals and Humans. J Nutr. 2009. 139(9): 1801S-1805S.
13. Krikorian R, Nash TA, Shidler MD, Shukitt-Hale B and Joseph JA. Concord grape juice supplementation improves memory function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. Br J Nutr. 2010. 103: 730–734.
14. Joseph JA, Shukitt-Hale B, and Casadesus G. Reversing the deleterious effects of aging on neuronal communication and behavior: beneficial properties of fruit polyphenolic compounds. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005. 81(suppl):313S-6S.
15. Park YK, Kim JS and Kang MH. Concord grape juice supplementation reduces blood pressure in Korean hypertensive men: double-blind, placebo controlled intervention trial. Biofactors. 2004. 22(1-4): 145-147.
16. Mark D, Maki K. Concord grape juice reduces blood pressure in men with high systolic blood pressure. Experimental Biology. San Diego, CA: FASEB; 2003.
17. Fulgoni VI, Fulgoni S, Wightman J, McGill C. Grape juice consumption is associated with increased nutrient intakes and improved cardiovascular parameters in children and adults. Experimental Biology; 2007; Washington, D.C.: FASEB; 2007.
18. Dohadwala MM, Holbrook M, Kim BH, Duess M, Kluge M, Vincent F, Caiano T, Hamburg NM, Vita JA. Effect of Grape Juice on Blood Pressure and Blood Glucose in Patients with Prehypertension and Stage 1 Hypertension, presented at The American Heart Association’s Joint Conference - 50th Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention - and - Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism Conference (March 2-5, 2010).
19. Produce For Better Health Foundation. State of the Plate Study on America's Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables. Wilmington, Delaware. 2003.