Surprising Health Benefits of Concord Grape Juice

Are you tired of facing down a glass of orange juice every morning? How about trying another juice that has more than twice the natural antioxidant power of orange juice?

What's in Concord Grape Juice?

Although you're probably familiar with grape juices and jam, you may not know that medical studies on Concord grape juice have been underway for almost 10 years. They've shown that Concord grapes are loaded with various kinds of flavonoids, a type of powerful antioxidant that is also found in berries, cocoa, red wine, and tea. In fact, purple Concord grape juice ranks the highest in antioxidant activity among 13 juices tested, according to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry in March 2007.

Heart health benefits of Concord Grape Juice:

• May promote healthy arteries: Researchers from the University of Wisconsin conducted a small study to investigate the potential health benefits of Concord grape juice back in late '90s. They found that people who drank about 2 cups of Concord grape juice daily for 2 weeks had significantly more flexible arteries. The same group of researchers followed up with a second study two years later. They found that similar health effects can be achieved by drinking just one cup of Concord grape juice. The results of this study were published in the American Journal of Cardiology in September 2001.
  
  
• May lower blood pressure: Researchers from South Korea investigated the effects of drinking Concord grape juice in men with high blood pressure. They found that subjects who drank about 1.5 cups of Concord grape juice daily for 8 weeks significantly reduced both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The results of this study were published in BioFactors in December 2004.