Reference News Network August 15 report: According to the U.S. "Science Daily" website on August 5, the latest issue of the American "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry" published an article discussing the concept of "superfoods" and presented reasons for fresh grapes to occupy a prominent position in the "superfood" family. The author of the article is John Pezzuto, dean of the School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at the University of West Virginia, a renowned resveratrol and cancer researcher, who presented a series of evidence to support his views.
The article points out that "superfood" is a commonly used term without an official definition or established standard. Mainstream "superfoods" are usually components of the Mediterranean diet, generally rich in natural plant compounds beneficial to human health. Pezzuto detailed the broader concept of "superfoods," then made a scientific argument for grapes, pointing out that the health benefits of fresh grapes have been underestimated.
Grapes are a natural source of more than 1,600 compounds, including antioxidants and other polyphenols such as flavonoids, anthocyanins, catechins, phenolic acids, and resveratrol. The health benefits of grapes are attributed to the antioxidant effects of polyphenols and their impact on cellular processes. The unique combination of whole grapes and their compounds, rather than a single ingredient, produces biological effects.
Researchers have published over 60 studies on the relationship between grapes and health in scientific literature. The cardiovascular health benefits of grapes are widely recognized, including promoting vasodilation and healthy circulation, as well as regulating cholesterol levels. Clinical trials also show that grapes help brain health (helping maintain healthy brain metabolism and improve cognition), skin health (enhancing the resistance of skin cells to ultraviolet radiation and DNA damage), gut health (regulating the gut microbiota and increasing the diversity of gut flora), and eye health (increasing macular pigment optical density to protect the retina). Finally, in the field of nutritional genomics, which studies the effects of food on gene expression in the body, research shows that eating grapes can positively change the gene expression of related bodily systems. Pezzuto believes that the health benefits of grapes may be related to these activities at the genetic level.
Ian Lemaire, chairman of the California Grape Association, said: "Dr. Pezzuto's view indicates that, according to scientific arguments, grapes are indeed a 'superfood' and should be recognized. We hope that linking this concept with grapes will become a common practice. Fortunately, eating grapes is beneficial for consumers, whether for health reasons or simply for enjoying a healthy snack." (Translated by Li Sha)
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7538634120109261321/
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