Does grape juice offer the same heart benefits as red wine?

Answer From Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.

Possibly. Some research studies suggest that red and purple grape juices may provide some of the same heart benefits of red wine, including:

  • Reducing the risk of blood clots
  • Reducing low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or "bad") cholesterol
  • Preventing damage to blood vessels in your heart
  • Helping maintain a healthy blood pressure

Grapes are rich in health-protecting antioxidants, including resveratrol and flavonoids. These antioxidants are found mainly in the skin, stem, leaf and seeds of grapes, rather than in their pulp.

The amount of antioxidants in grapes depends on many factors, including the kind of grape, its geographic origin and how it's processed. Dark red and purple grapes tend to be higher in antioxidants than are white or green grapes. Likewise, the level of antioxidants, such as resveratrol, found in wine varies, with higher levels in red wine.

Besides grape juice, other grape products, including dealcoholized wine, grape extracts and grape powder, may offer health benefits.

Keep in mind that it's also beneficial to eat whole grapes — not just drink grape juice. Some research suggests that whole grapes deliver the same amount of antioxidants that are in grape juice and wine but have the added benefit of providing dietary fiber.

July 18, 2017 See more Expert Answers

See also

  1. MIND diet may cut Alzheimer's risk
  2. 3 diet changes women over 50 should make right now
  3. 3 key changes in the new Nutrition Facts label
  4. Healthy-eating habits
  5. Reduce sugar in your diet
  6. Acai berries
  7. Added sugar
  8. Alcohol use
  9. Alkaline water
  10. Are energy drinks bull?
  11. Artificial sweeteners and other sugar substitutes
  12. Autism spectrum disorder and digestive symptoms
  13. Bad food habits at work? Get back on track in 5 easy steps
  14. Best oil for cooking?
  15. 2015-2020 Dietary guidelines
  16. Boost your calcium levels without dairy? Yes you can!
  17. Breast-feeding nutrition: Tips for moms
  18. Caffeine: How much is too much?
  19. Is caffeine dehydrating?
  20. Calorie calculator
  21. The role of diet and exercise in preventing Alzheimer's disease
  22. Can whole-grain foods lower blood pressure?
  23. Carbohydrates
  24. Chart of high-fiber foods
  25. Cholesterol: Top foods to improve your numbers
  26. Coconut water: Healthy drink or marketing scam?
  27. Coffee and health
  28. Diet and overactive bladder
  29. Diet soda: How much is too much?
  30. Dietary fats
  31. Dietary fiber
  32. Prickly pear cactus
  33. Does soy affect breast cancer risk?
  34. Don't get tricked by these 3 heart-health myths
  35. Don't go cuckoo for coconut water
  36. Make healthy snack choices
  37. Eat more of these key nutrients
  38. Eating well with COPD
  39. Eggs: Bad for cholesterol?
  40. Energy drinks
  41. Fat grams
  42. For a healthy gut, feed the good bugs
  43. Fiber: Soluble or insoluble?
  44. Fish and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
  45. Fit more fiber into your diet
  46. Foods for healthy skin
  47. Is chocolate healthy?
  48. Healthy heart for life: Avoiding heart disease
  49. Healthy-eating tip: Don't forget fiber
  50. High-fructose corn syrup
  51. High-protein diets
  52. Alcohol during the holidays: 4 ways to sip smarter
  53. Holiday weight: How to maintain, not gain
  54. Takeout containers
  55. Is there more to hydration than water?
  56. Juicing is no substitute for whole foods
  57. Juicing
  58. Depression and diet
  59. Limit bad fats, one step at a time
  60. Make food labels required reading
  61. Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
  62. MUFAs
  63. Multigrain vs. whole grain
  64. Need a snack? Go nuts!
  65. Need more fiber? Take 3 steps
  66. Nutrition Facts label
  67. Nutrition rules that will fuel your workout
  68. Nuts and your heart: Eating nuts for heart health
  69. Omega-3 in fish
  70. Omega-6 fatty acids
  71. Phenylalanine
  72. Play it safe when taking food to a loved one in the hospital
  73. Protein: Heart-healthy sources
  74. Healthy eating plans
  75. Raw water: Risky fad?
  76. Reduce sugar in your diet
  77. Health foods
  78. Portion control
  79. Planning healthy meals
  80. High-fiber diet
  81. Social eating can be healthy and enjoyable
  82. Sodium
  83. Sodium: Look beyond the saltshaker
  84. Stevia
  85. Tap water or bottled water: Which is better?
  86. Taurine in energy drinks
  87. Time to cut back on caffeine?
  88. Time to scale back on salt?
  89. Trans fat
  90. Underweight: Add pounds healthfully
  91. Want a healthier dinnertime? Science says change your eating space
  92. Daily water requirement
  93. Functional foods
  94. What is a good ileostomy diet?
  95. What is clean eating?
  96. What's considered moderate alcohol use?
  97. What's the difference between juicing and blending?
  98. Why does diet matter after bariatric surgery?
  99. Working out? Remember to drink up
  100. Yerba mate