On the other hand, supplementing the high fat diet with resveratrol alone or a resveratrol-free grape extract did not have the same benefits, according to findings published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
“Our results suggest that the consumption of this [resveratrol-rich grape extract] nutraceutical, in a dietary prevention context, could prevent early atherosclerotic events,” wrote researchers from the University of Murcia in Spain.
The researchers used pigs for their study, an animal with similar physiology and anatomy to humans and the development of spontaneous atherosclerosis, particularly in the aorta.
Heart benefits
Resveratrol, a powerful polyphenol and anti-fungal chemical, is often touted as the bioactive compound in grapes and red wine, and has particularly been associated with the so-called 'French Paradox'. The phrase, coined in 1992 by Dr Serge Renaud from Bordeaux University, describes the low incidence of heart disease and obesity among the French, despite their relatively high-fat diet and levels of wine consumption.
Other studies with only resveratrol have reported anti-cancer effects, anti-inflammatory effects, cardiovascular benefits, anti-diabetes potential, energy endurance enhancement, and protection against Alzheimer’s.
More to follow