Until recently researchers had suggested that red wine, not white wine contained antioxidants that were good for the heart, but results published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry showed grape extracts from white wine were equally as effective as grape extracts from red wine in protecting the rats from induced heart attacks. These new findings are important in regards to risk reduction for cardiovascular diseaase.

A group of American and Italian researchers compared the effects of feeding laboratory rats water or equal amounts of grape pulp extract, or grape skin extract for 30 days.

Rats fed either grape skin or grape pulp extract had significantly smaller heart attacks compared with those fed water, according to the researchers. In addition, tests showed both extracts appeared to have the same level of antioxidant activity.

Researchers say the grape skin extract did contain high levels of anthocyanins -- part of a class of antioxidants known as polyphenols. The pulp extract did not contain anthocyanins, but it was rich in other types of polyphenols. Polyphenols are a group of chemical substances found in plants that have antioxidant properties. Antioxidants are known to stop free radical damage within the body and are thought to reduce or prevent chronic dideases including but not limited to cardiovascular diseaase, some formsof cancer, and even slow aging.

Our study provides evidence for the first time that the flesh of grapes is equally cardio-protective with respect to the skins," writes researcher M. Falchi of the University of Milan. The researchers, however, said further study is needed to identify the principal ingredients responsible for cardio-protective abilities of grape flesh.