A natural way to get off cholesterol it could be as close as the produce section of your favorite market: A new study in the magazine. nutrients suggests that grapes may not only improve this marker of heart health, but also increase the diversity of beneficial gut bacteria.
The researchers asked 19 healthy adults to eat a diet low in fiber and polyphenols—the compound in fruit and vegetables that reduces inflammation and helps regulate blood pressure—for a month, to see how grape the dust would affect them afterwards. They continued the same diet but added 46 grams of the powder, the equivalent of two servings of fresh grapes, which comes in two cups.
After four weeks of daily grape powder, all participants saw increases in the diversity of gut bacteria, especially a type associated with glucose regulation and fatty acid breakdown. They also had a nearly 8 percent drop in “bad” cholesterol levels, as well as a 40 percent drop in steroidal acids, a substance that plays a role in how cholesterol works in the body. In high amounts, these acids can cause blood vessels to clog, increasing the risk of heart attack and hit.
Related: What happens to your body when you eat grapes
This effect is likely due to grapes being a rich source of fiber and polyphenols, which provide benefits to the intestinal and cardiovascular systems, according to study co-author Jieping Yang, PhD, of the Center for Human Nutrition at the College of Medicine. David Geffen. at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Although this was considered a pilot study due to its small number of participants, Yang says it adds to extensive previous research showing that compounds in grapes have a variety of benefits, including antibacterial and antiviral properties.
The main finding in the recent study was improved gut health, but Yang says the effect of cholesterol is also promising. That’s especially the case, as the participants had to refrain from eating fruits and vegetables for a month, meaning even those who rarely eat these foods could see benefits after just a few weeks of including them in their diet.
“Dietary intervention is the primary approach to cholesterol control,” she says. “In this study, the equivalent of two servings of grapes provided enough dietary fiber to have a small but significant impact.”
More research will be needed, Yang adds, but in the meantime, this adds to other research that suggests grapes definitely have a heart-healthy, gut-boosting place in your fruit bowl.
For more information, see the Secret effects of eating grapes, says science.
