After The Wine Is Made, The Rest Of The Grape May Be Good For You

Grape pomace, the residue remaining when grapes are processed for wine-making, may also be a rich source of these antioxidants, says Anne S. Meyer, Ph.D. at the Technical University of Denmark in Lyngby, Denmark. Using a red grape pomace from a California winery, Meyer and her coworkers were able to extract compounds called phenolics that--in test tube studies-- significantly retarded the oxidation of human low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol. Dietary antioxidants that protect LDL from oxidation may play a role in preventing coronary heart disease, Meyer says.

Over 4 million tons of grape pomace are produced annually, but it is currently used as a cattle feed, a soil conditioner, or sent to a landfill. Meyer suggests that her work may be useful in the commercial exploitation of grape pomace for production of antioxidant concentrates. Grape seed extract is already widely sold as a nutritional supplement, she says. But she cautions that more research is needed to determine the exact physiological significance of the grape phenolics as antioxidants with nutritional benefits.

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