Grapes Vitis vinifera

Grapes contain powerful antioxidants in all forms: whole grapes, red wine made from grape skins, and grape seed oil and extracts. Grapes contain anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds that relieve pain and protect the heart. This tasty fruit is one of the best examples of the blurry line between food and medicine.

Grape skins contain the powerful antioxidant compound resveratrol, which has been shown in studies to protect against the effects of a high fat diet, lowering cholesterol that could lead to heart disease. ⁵⁷ This effect may explain the "French Paradox", the French habit of taking a glass of red wine with dinner seems to negate the bad effects of a diet rich in saturated fats. Reservatrol has also been shown to inhibit tumor initiation in studies leading many experts to believe consumption of red wine could be a factor in lowering cancer rates. ³

Can a supplement containing only resveratrol replace all the healthy benefits of a glass of wine? There are many other important compounds in grape skins including anthocyanins, which protect the body's connective tissue from degradation during inflammatory illness and improve circulatory health. OPC's, condensed tannins, are also present in red wine and green tea and are thought to be responsible for many of the cardiovascular benefits associated with drinking these beverages. OPC's are the same compounds extracted from grape seeds and pine bark, and marketed under the brand name Pycnogenol ©. ⁵⁸ Grapes also give us important trace minerals - calcium,chromium, magnesium, niacin, potassium and zinc. Supplements like resveratrol and grapeseed extracts can be very worthwhile, but do not fully replace the broad spectrum of benefits from the many, many medicinal compounds present in the whole fruit.

Grapeseed oil is used as a carrier oil in aromatherapy and has a nice balance of oleic, linoleic, palmitic and stearic acids. It is emollient and toning to all skin types.