Grape Juice Reduces LDL Oxidation, Protects Heart Health

Grape Juice Reduces LDL Oxidation, Protects Heart Health

CONCORD, Mass.--Drinking Concord grape juice mayslow the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in the body, which maycomplement LDL cholesterol reduction and promote heart health, according to astudy published in the December issue of the American Journal of ClinicalNutrition (76, 6:1376-74, 2002) (www.ajcn.org)."We know that high levels of LDL cholesterol in the body contribute toheart disease," said Ishwarlala Jialal, M.D., Ph.D., professor at theUniversity of California, Davis, and co-author of the study, in a press releasefrom Welch's (www.welchs.com), whichco-sponsored the research. "What is also important to understand is thatthe LDL is relatively harmless unless it oxidizes within the arterial wall. Soon one hand, we should strive to maintain healthy LDL levels in the body. At thesame time, taking steps to impede the oxidation of LDL is a complementarypathway to cardiovascular health."