Concord Grape Juice could help in lowering blood pressure

05/04/05 Three current studies point to a positive effect of Concord grape juice consumption on blood pressure, adding to the growing body of scientific evidence that drinking Concord grape juice assists with healthy cardiovascular function. In a preliminary study published in the current issue of Biofactors and partially supported by Welch Foods grants, drinking Concord grape juice lowered the blood pressure of mildly hypertensive men by almost seven points.

In addition, two laboratory studies presented today at the Experimental Biology meeting in San Diego complement the Biofactors study; one offers a possible mechanism of action for the blood pressure effect, the other shows similar effects in a laboratory model that closely mimics human cardiovascular behavior.

The Biofactors study tested 40 Korean men with mild hypertension (blood pressure averaging 146/94 mm Hg). In a double-blinded study, half drank Concord grape juice for eight weeks while the other half drank a calorie-matched placebo drink. At the end of the study, the grape juice group had a significant decline of 7.2 mm systolic and 6.2 diastolic compared to baseline. The placebo group saw a lesser decrease in both measurements.