Grape juice may lower cholesterol

BOSTON, Nov 16, 2004 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- U.S. researchers said Tuesday that drinking Concord grape

juice can significantly increase good cholesterol and ease the effects of coronary artery disease.

Boston University researchers studied 20 subjects with a mean age of 63 years who previously had been diagnosed with coronary artery disease and were on standard medications, including aspirin.

The study results were doubly interesting, the researchers said, because similar effects on cholesterol were thought to be possible by drinking red wine because of its alcohol content. But because grape juice contains no alcohol, the researchers said they will begin looking more closely at a group of compounds called polyphenolics, which are found in both drinks.

"There has been great interest in the possible benefits of drinking red wine for people with cardiovascular disease," said Dr. Jane E. Freedman, associate professor of medicine and pharmacology at BU. "But it has been offset, to a certain extent, by concerns about promoting alcohol consumption. This has led to the exploration of non-alcoholic grape products."

Freedman cautioned that although her study is preliminary and more research needs to be done, it appears drinking purple grape juice may suppress inflammatory markers that have been linked to cardiovascular disease.