Eat Grapes, Stay Healthy

A little fresh-fruit snack may put you on the fast track to better blood flow.

People in a study experienced better blood flow in their brachial arteries just three hours after eating the equivalent of one and a quarter cups of grapes. At 60 calories a delicious cup, that's a pretty juicy deal.

Many Benefits
The blood flow benefits were even better after three weeks of consistent eating.

Researchers think it may be the antioxidants in grapes that help keep blood vessels relaxed and blood flowing freely.

In fact, grapes may even help protect your blood vessels from fatty meals -- something that normally does immediate, transient damage. And early animal research suggests that something in grapes may help protect your blood pressure from salty foods, too. But more research is still on.

Reality Bytes
No single food will make your heart and arteries impervious to the perils of a bad diet. So, in addition to fresh fruit like antioxidantrich grapes, feed your heart what it really wants, including garlic, olive oil, and dark chocolate, oatmeal with strawberries, a couple of shakes of cinnamon each day. It can help too.