Grapeseed Extract May Stop Arteries From Hardening

Adding grape seed extract to the diet may prevent atherosclerosis, a condition responsible for more than half the deaths in developed countries, suggests new animal research. Studies presented at the Experimental Biology meeting in April demonstrated that grapeseed extract stopped cholesterol from building up in the arteries of guinea pigs, which in turn leads to the thickening and hardening of the vessels and the resulting condition, atherosclerosis. This limits the ability of the arteries to expand and contract as blood passes through them and can caused strokes and heart attacks. Researchers at the University of California Davis fed the guinea pigs a diet rich in coconut fat. One group was supplemented with a grape seed extract provided by US-based Polyphenolics.