Grape Seed Extract

About Grape Seed Extract

Derived from Vitis vinifera, Grape Seed Extract is known for its high antioxidant content. However, it offers many other benefits, such as anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic. Grape seed extract may also help to protect the liver, nervous system and heart, benefits that have been reported in a review article published in May 2016 by Phytotherapy Research. Many of these health effects are believed to be due to a high concentration of natural phenolics.

By definition, antioxidants are cellular protectants that neutralise free-radicals and the detrimental effects they have. However, not all free-radicals need to be neutralised, as some are needed to maintain health. Particular free-radicals are synthesized and released in the human body for specific purposes. For instance, some leukocytes (white blood cells) release free-radicals to destroy harmful infections. There needs to be a balanced approach to antioxidant supplementation, where a broad range of antioxidants are used in moderate quantities, without taking too much of any one antioxidant in isolation.

Given the poor quality of westerners diets and the high level of environmental pollutants that we are exposed to, a supplemental form of antioxidants can be a great idea, particularly if you engage in strenuous aerobic exercise regularly. This is especially the case for people living in cities, with diets lacking in a broad range of antioxidant rich foods. As a general rule of thumb, the antioxidant content of your diet can be assessed based on the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables it contains, and the variety of colours found in this fresh produce. Different colours in fresh foods represent different phytochemicals, each with unique health benefits and antioxidant activity.

Quality foods such as organic cacao, blueberries and walnuts, amongst many others, have been tested and shown to be exceptionally high on the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) scale—a measure of antioxidant power. Grape Seed Extract may assist with a broad range of health maladies and support the maintenance of general health, ideally taken in combination with a diet rich in a broad range of antioxidant foods.