In previous studies, red wine's health benefits were the talk of the town due to the drink's ability to prevent dementia and memory loss. A new study shows that red wine can actually burn fats and prevent high blood pressure.
Now, this study shows that drinking red wine or red grape juice can help overweight individuals burn fats faster. In addition, it can also help people combat obesity as well as metabolic disorders that come with it such as fatty liver.
According to researchers from the Oregon State University, consuming red or dark-colored grapes, whether drinking or eating them aids in weight loss. Overweight individuals can raise a toast to a healthier body and having an effective means to lose weight.
The team headed by Neil Shay, a biochemist and molecular biologist in OSU's College of Agricultural Sciences, spent 10 weeks feeding mice with a high-fat diet. When the mice were overweight, they were grouped into two wherein one group was given extracts from red wine Pinot noir grapes and the other group was given a general blend of 'mouse chow'.
Over the 10-week trial, the mice which were fed with a high-fat diet developed fatty acids and diabetes which are common with overweight people, Prof. Shay explained.
The obese mice were then exposed to the four extracts of Muscadine grapes. One of the chemicals called ellagic acid, showed a promising effect on the growth of fat cells and in the synthesis of new ones. It slowed down fat formation as well as boosted the metabolism of fatty acids in liver cells.
Shay said, "We didn't find, and we didn't expect to, that these compounds would improve body weight. But by boosting the burning of fat, especially in the liver, they may improve liver function in overweight people"
He added, "If we could develop a dietary strategy for reducing the harmful accumulation of fat in the liver, using common foods like grapes that would be great news."
He co-authored the study with colleagues from the University of Florida and University of Nebraska. The overweight mice that were exposed to the extracts had lesser fats in their livers and lower blood sugar levels. Furthermore, ellagic acid showed promise in lowering the blood sugar of high-fat-fed mice to the level of normal and lean mice as reported by Science Daily.
Meanwhile, red wine also contains other chemicals that are all good for the body. It contains antioxidants that help kill free radicals that cause cell oxidative stress. Dementia and Alzheimer's disease are mostly caused by cell oxidative stress in the brain. Aside from that, it contains resveratrol that is good for the heart.
Resveratrol is the key ingredient in red wine that prevents damage to the blood vessels and prevents increased blood cholesterol levels. If the blood vessels are healthy, it prevents high blood pressure that can be detrimental to the body's health.
