The "Prolonged Relaxation" Effect of...Grapes?

by WiredBerries Editors — November 6, 2007

Although most of us don't think to down a glass of plain old grape juice to help us relax at the end of the day, scientists say that maybe we ought to. A recent study found that concord grape juice is even more effective than red wine when it comes to inducing a prolonged relaxation effect! That's good news for those who want the heart benefits of red wine without the elevated cancer risk of alcohol.

The laboratory research was presented recently at the WINEHEALTH 2007 conference in Bordeaux, France. It revealed that concord grape juice stimulated an arterial relaxation effect in a similar fashion to red wine. The French researchers also reported that the concord grape juice induced a prolonged relaxation effect that has not been reported with red wine.

This research demonstrates that it's the components of the grape, rather than alcohol, which produce this beneficial effect for the heart. This study supports other preliminary research in which concord grape juice had a blood pressure-lowering effect. So, for those looking for an alternative to red wine, grape juice provides a delicious, family-friendly, heart-healthy alternative.