A team of researchers has found evidence that eating grapes is healthy for the gut microbiome. This increases the diversity of intestinal microbesbad cholesterol in the bodydecreases. In their published article, the authors describe their experiments in which they gave volunteers grape powder for four weeks.
Why the effect of grapes is healthy for the intestines
Previous research has shown that eating certain fruits, such as apples and grapes, can promote healthy blood vessels. This is mainly because such natural products contain many polyphenols, which have an antioxidant effect. When you eat such fruits, your blood pressure level also drops. In some cases, polyphenol consumption has also been shown to significantly reduce inflammation that could lead to heart disease. However, in the present research, scientists also examined other possible health benefits of consuming grapes. To learn more about the potential positive effects, the research group enlisted the help of 19 healthy adults. Each followed a special diet low in polyphenols and fiber for four weeks. Then each subject went on the same diet, but with the addition of grape powder. The volunteers consumed 46 grams of the powder daily, equivalent to two servings of grapes. Researchers collected stool, blood and urine samples from study participants in both phases of the experiment.
The study results showed that all volunteers showed an increase in the diversity of the gut microbiome after consuming the grape powder for four weeks. Previous research has also shown that increased diversity of gut flora tends to be associated with a strong immune system. In particular, the concentrations of Akkermansia bacteria increased. They are known to have a positive influence on glucose levels and fat metabolism. The scientists also found a 6.1 percent decrease in total cholesterol levels and a 5.9 percent decrease in LDL cholesterol. It turned out inthis studyalso found that some acids in bile fell by 40.9 percent. Previous research has shown that they play an important role in metabolizing cholesterol.
