Frequently Asked Questions

Our expert answers your questions…

John D. Folts, Ph.D.
Director of the Coronary Thrombosis Research Laboratory,
University of Wisconsin Medical School.

Expert Doctor, John D. Folts, Ph.D., is the director of the Coronary Thrombosis Research Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin Medical School. He is an internationally recognised researcher specialising in the effect of dietary flavonoids on platelet activity and its relationship to coronary artery disease.

Read below to learn what Dr. Folts has to say about Concord grape juice and heart health.

Q: How does drinking Concord grape juice every day help me stay healthy?

A: In a number of ways. First, a 200ml serving of purple grape juice counts as a one portion towards the recommended daily five servings of fruit and vegetables. Second, Concord grape juice has more than three times the naturally occurring antioxidants of orange, grapefruit, apple or tomato juice, and twice as much per serving as the 42 other tested fruits and vegetables. And third, in well-designed preliminary clinical research, drinking Concord grape juice reduced the tendency of platelets in the blood to clump together, helping to maintain the free flow of blood in the arteries.

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Q: What are flavonoids and what do they do for my body?

A: Flavonoids are natural compounds found in many fruits and vegetables, as well as red wine and purple grape juice made from Concord grapes. Many flavonoids are thought to be potent antioxidants. Wine and Concord grape juice appear to be significant platelet inhibitors, meaning they make the platelets in the blood less likely to clot.

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Q: I've heard about research findings on the potential health benefits of Concord grape juice, but I seem to remember hearing it had more than one benefit. What were they?

A: Preliminary medical research suggests that Concord grape juice may contribute to healthy cardiovascular function in several ways. Research published in the June 2001 issue of Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association, suggests that Concord grape juice helps platelets release more nitric oxide, which further reduces the tendency of platelets to form clots, and increases the ability of the blood vessel to accommodate greater blood flow. The same study also suggested that those same platelets released less superoxide–a free radical that can contribute to cardiovascular disease.

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