Food of the Week . . .

Grapes
Did you know that grapes contain a nutrient called
resveratrol that acts as a powerful antioxidant and has
been found to help protect against heart disease and
cancer? Recent studies show that the flavonoids, such as
resveratrol, found in grapes, particularly purple and red
grapes, have powerful health-promoting properties.
Much of this research was motivated by what has come
to be known as the French Paradox: the interesting
phenomenon of the low incidence of heart disease
among the French despite their eating a diet high in fats.
Increasing evidence suggests that the flavonoids found
in grapes, grape juice and red wine, particularly
resveratrol, may be a key to understanding this paradox
since these foods are an important part of the French
diet. Like calorie restriction, resveratrol activates a
number of sirtuins, genes in the SIR (silent information
regulator) family, which trigger cell signaling that:

mobilizes the release of stored fat and its conversion

into glucose
promotes insulin secretion, so glucose is promptly
delivered to cells
boosts the aerobic capacity of the mitochondria (the
energy production factories in our cells), so the glucose
is efficiently converted into energy
inactivates p53, a gene that plays a pivotal role in
cellular senescence

The net result is a much more youthful metabolism in

which fats and carbohydrates are efficiently converted
into energy, increasing endurance and resistance to
stress, instead of stockpiling and fueling inflammation,
obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
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