Made from Welch's own Concord Grapes.
A Heart-Healthy Juice.

Be young at heart! Maintaining heart health can help improve the quality of your life, so make heart health a health priority for yourself and your family. A growing body of preliminary research suggests that Concord grape juice, such as in Welch's Purple 100% Grape Juice, may help maintain cardiovascular health when consumed as part of a balanced diet.

But first, what exactly is an antioxidant?

An antioxidant is a naturally occurring plant compound that may function alone or in conjunction with other compounds to promote human health. Antioxidants combat free radicals that can damage cells. A growing body of research suggests that diets high in naturally occurring antioxidants may help reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Preliminary research suggests that some of the same naturally occurring compounds, called flavonoids, that give Concord grapes their royal purple color may also act as antioxidants and play a role in maintaining your overall heart health.

What is the antioxidant content of Welch's Purple 100% Grape Juice?

A USDA study found that Welch's Purple 100% Grape Juice had three times more antioxidant power than grapefruit, orange, tomato, and apple juices, and more antioxidant power than 42 other tested fruits and vegetables. And other preliminary studies have suggested that the antioxidant activity of Concord grape juice may be similar to that of red wine.

Antioxidant Power of Popular Fruit Juices:

Total antioxidant power of five commercial fruit juices as measured by ORAC assay.
From Wang H et al. (1996)

How might the antioxidants in Concord grape juice benefit me?

Preliminary research suggests that the antioxidants found in Concord grape juice may act to promote healthy cardiovascular functioning. Specifically, Concord grape juice may act to protect LDL cholesterol (more commonly called the "bad" cholesterol) from free radicals. (A free radical is an unstable compound that can damage healthy cells within the body.) This evident function of Concord grape juice is important because research suggests that minimizing the interaction between free radicals and "bad" cholesterol helps keep arteries clear so blood can flow freely to where it's needed in the body.

Concord grape juice flavonoids may promote healthy arteries.

Preliminary research suggests that flavonoids may function in ways other than as antioxidants in the body. First, some initial studies showed that the flavonoids in Concord grape juice promoted the flexibility of arteries, which is important to allow increased blood flow when needed, such as during exercise, shoveling snow, and climbing stairs. Second, additional preliminary studies suggest that these flavonoids may also help reduce the stickiness of the blood, which in turn helps maintain the free flow of blood through the arteries.

Welch's Purple 100% Grape Juice is fat-free and cholesterol-free.

While many factors affect heart disease, diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of this disease. The American Heart Association (AHA) has created its Food Certification Program to help consumers identify heart-healthy foods. Welch's Purple 100% Grape Juice products displaying the AHA's heart-check mark are certified by the American Heart Association and have no saturated fat or cholesterol.

One 1/4 litre glass of Welch's Purple 100% Grape Juice counts as a cup of fruit.

For better heart health (and even to reduce the risk of some cancers), the USDA's Food Guide Pyramid recommends eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Good news: A 1/4 litre glass of Welch's Purple 100% Grape Juice counts as a cup of fruit!

So remember, every time you drink Welch's Purple 100% Grape Juice, made from Welch's own Concord grapes, you may be helping to promote a healthy cardiovascular system—not bad for something that tastes so good!

Sources

Freedman, J et al. Select flavonoids and whole juice from purple grapes inhibit platelet function and enhance nitric oxide release. Circulation 2001; 103: 2792-2798.

Stein, J et al. Purple grape juice improves endothelial function and reduces the susceptibility of LDL cholesterol to oxidation in patients with coronary artery disease. Circulation 1999; 100: 1050-1055.

Wang, H et al. Total antioxidant capacity of fruits. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 1996; 44: 701-705.