New findings suggest that purple grape juice provides far greater antioxidant protection than orange juice, a discovery that could help people who want healthier hearts. Researchers looked at 16 volunteers who drank two glasses of either purple grape juice or orange juice each day for a week. After the week, their blood was tested for chemicals known as low density lipoproteins. The longer it takes these chemicals to oxidize, the less likely these compounds will contribute to the blocking of arteries. Volunteers who drank grape juice were more capable of protecting these chemicals from oxidation than those who drank orange juice. "Orange juice...is an excellent source of vitamin C, folate and potassium," says
researcher Joe Vinson at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania:
"But for people looking for dietary approaches to increase consumption of natural antioxidants that may help reduce the risk of heart disease, purple grape juice appears unique in its potential ability to provide a beneficial effect to a variety of cardio-vascular functions."
The research team reported their findings in the Journal of Medicinal Food.