According to a US study published in the journal Nutrients, consumption of grapes lowers cholesterol.
This fruit also significantly increases the diversity of intestinal bacteria in the human body, say researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles.
The aim of the study was to determine the effect on the intestinal microbiome, cholesterol and bile acid of daily consumption of grape powder, which is equivalent to two servings of fruit grown in California.
The analysis involved 21 healthy adult volunteers aged 21 to 55 years.
For four weeks, the volunteers followed a low-polyphenol diet followed by a consumption of 46 g of grape powder over the same period of time. At the same time, participants continued to follow a diet low in polyphenols.
Scientists have found an increase in microbial diversity. They reported the growth of beneficial bacteria, such as Akermansia, which has a beneficial effect on glucose and lipid metabolism, as well as the integrity of the intestinal mucosa.
In addition, there is a decrease in the level of total and so-called “Bad” cholesterol by 6.1% and 5.9%, respectively.
The amount of bile acids associated with cholesterol metabolism is reduced by 40.9%, according to BTA.
“We’ve found that grapes have a beneficial effect on intestinal bacteria, and that’s great news because good gut health is crucial to health,” said lead author Dr. Zhaoping Li of the University of California.
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