Eating grapes could give people an “additional four to five years” of life, research suggests

Eating grapes could give people an “additional four to five years” of life, research has suggested.

The ‘superfood’ helps flush out refined fats and sugars found in processed foods, and regular consumption can counteract the effects of a junk food diet, studies have shown.

Grapes are packed with chemicals that enhance gut bacteria and lower cholesterol levels. They also contain antioxidants that mitigate inflammation, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer.

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Dr John Pezzuto, from Western New England University in the US, commented: “It adds an entirely new dimension to the old saying ‘you are what you eat’.”

He explained that grapes actually alter the expression of genes. Dr Pezzuto, who has written over 600 studies, added: “That is truly remarkable.”

In a series of experiments, mice were fed a high-fat diet typically consumed in western countries, along with a daily powdered grape supplement equivalent to a punnet.

The lab rodents had less fatty liver and lived longer than their peers. Dr Pezzuto observed: “The change seen in the study would correspond to an additional four to five years in the life of a human.”

The team also discovered that grapes improve neuron function, offering protection against Alzheimer’s. They had positive effects on behaviour and cognition that were impaired in mice fed high fat diets without the extract.

A third study has revealed that, in addition to their other benefits, grapes can also boost metabolism and help burn calories. They may particularly aid in preventing Alzheimer’s and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), both of which have been linked to the consumption of junk food.

Dr Pezzuto said: “The adverse response was diminished by grape intervention. Life-long survival was also enhanced. These results suggest the potential of dietary grapes to modulate gene expression, prevent oxidative damage, induce fatty acid metabolism, ameliorate NAFLD and increase longevity when co-administered with a high-fat diet.”

With unhealthy eating habits leading to a rise in liver disease worldwide, Dr Pezzuto added: “The life-long addition of grapes to a high-fat diet increases longevity. These data illustrate the extraordinary influence of nutrigenomics, a burgeoning field of investigation that will augment our appreciation of diet and health. The change observed in the study would correspond to an additional four to five years in the life of a human.”

Recent studies have also found that consuming grapes reduces the risk of heart attacks or strokes.

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