The things you eat will almost always have a role in your high cholesterol levels. Although the majority of food items are a no-brainer when it comes to their high cholesterol content, some nutritious foods may also be a major contributor to the problem.

The amount of cholesterol in your blood has a role in your heart health since excessive cholesterol levels are a significant risk factor for coronary heart disease, heart attack, and stroke, among other things.

LDL cholesterol, in particular, is a harmful type of cholesterol that can build up on the inside of your artery walls, increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke.

Plaque is formed when it combines with other chemicals and hardens into thick, hard deposits on surfaces. The reason this is harmful is that plaque can cause your arteries to stiffen and constrict over time, putting you at risk for a heart attack or stroke.

A recent study reveals that eating grapes lowers cholesterol levels, which may help avoid heart attacks and strokes.

Additionally, consuming grapes was found to drastically lower cholesterol levels in the blood, which is a fat-like material that can clog arteries and cause heart disease.

Grapes were also found to lower bile acid levels, which play an important role in the metabolism, or processing, of cholesterol.

Grapes and other fruits, such as apples, have long been known to contain antioxidants called polyphenols, which keep blood vessels healthy and flexible for optimal circulation. Polyphenols are chemical molecules found naturally in plants.

Other health benefits of polyphenols and other “phytochemicals” include the ability to lower or help control blood sugar and blood pressure levels as well as the ability to reduce chronic inflammation, which is another risk factor for heart disease.

The paper was published in the journal Nutrients, and it was directed by professor Zhaoping Li.

“We found that grapes have a beneficial effect on gut bacteria, which is great news, since a healthy gut is critical to good health,” says Professor Li. 

“This study deepens our knowledge and expands the range of health benefits for grapes, even as the study reinforces the heart health benefits of grapes with lowered cholesterol.”

The researchers used stool samples to examine the microbiota — the trillion-strong population of bacteria – of centenarians.

The microbiota is also referred to as the microbiome — but the latter term refers to both the collective genomes of the bacteria in a particular environment and the individual microorganisms themselves. 

A total of 19 healthy people participated in the study, who followed a low-polyphenol and low-fiber diet for four weeks.

In addition, they were given 46 grams of grape powder per day for four weeks, while continuing to follow a low-fibre and low-polyphenol diet.

Preliminary and final samples of feces and urine were taken before and after the grape powder supplementation period.

According to the Shannon index, which is a commonly used metric for evaluating species diversity, there was an increase in microbial diversity after four weeks of grape consumption.

Among the beneficial bacteria that grew was Akkermansia, a bacteria of great interest due to its favorable effects on glucose and lipid metabolism, as well as the integrity of the intestinal lining.

Additional results showed that total cholesterol decreased by 6.1 percent and LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol decreased by 5.9 percent in the study participants’ blood. 

Bile acids, which are steroid acids that are associated to cholesterol metabolism, were found to have dropped by 40.9 percent, the researchers discovered.

According to the researchers, the findings point to a possible new role for grapes in gut health and confirm grapes’ heart-health benefits.

The consumption of grapes in many forms, including red wine, has previously been linked to heart health.

Researchers in Germany and Northern Ireland discovered earlier this year that drinking three 125ml glasses of red wine each week helped to reduce blood pressure.

In addition, according to the researchers, another type of phytochemical known as flavonoids – which are abundant in fruits and vegetables as well as tea and other plant-based foods – appears to have a beneficial influence on blood pressure levels.

In our stomach, a trillion-strong bacteria breaks down flavonoids.

The effects of ordinary table grapes (a blend of green, red, and black grapes) blended into a powdered form and included in the diets of lab rats as part of a high-fat, American-style diet were investigated by researchers at the University of Michigan in 2010. 

Rats fed a grape-enriched food for three months had lower blood pressure, improved heart function, and lower signs of inflammation in the heart and blood than rats fed a control meal that did not contain any grape powder at all. 

Source: 10.3390/nu13113965

Image Credit: Getty

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