The benefits of grapes could go beyond providing a healthy snack.
According to a study published in the journal ACS Nutrition Science, regular grape consumption can change how the genes behave, giving the skin an added defense system against sun damage.
The research, led by scientists at Western New England University, suggests that grapes could trigger changes in DNA.
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Researchers tracked a group of volunteers who first followed a restricted diet for two weeks to clear their systems, according to a press release.
Then, for the next two weeks, they ate the equivalent of three daily servings of whole grapes, provided in a concentrated, freeze-dried powder form.
The scientists took small skin samples before and after the grape diet, testing them both under normal conditions and after exposing them to low doses of ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun.
At the start of the study, each volunteer had their own pattern of gene activity. However, these patterns shifted noticeably after they ate grapes, after they were exposed to UV light, and when the grape-eating was combined with UV exposure.
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While everyone's individual genetic responses were unique, grape consumption changed gene expression across all participants.
When skin is exposed to UV rays, it normally creates a chemical called malondialdehyde, which is a warning sign of cellular damage. After eating grapes, the volunteers showed significantly less of this damaging chemical, the study found.
"We are now certain that grapes act as a superfood and mediate a nutrigenomic response in humans," John Pezzuto, PhD, professor and dean of the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Western New England University, said in the press release.
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"We observed this with the largest organ of the body, the skin. The changes in gene expression indicated improvements in skin health."
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Pezzuto also noted that the benefits likely don't stop at the skin.
"Beyond skin, it is nearly certain that grape consumption affects gene expression in other somatic tissues of the body, such as the liver, muscles, kidney and even brain," he said.
A major limitation of the study is its very small sample size, as usable, complete RNA sequencing data was successfully obtained from only four female participants, the researchers noted.
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Additionally, all four of these women shared a very similar skin type and background, meaning the genetic findings may not apply to a broader, more diverse population.
The researchers also emphasized that regular grape consumption cannot replace traditional sunscreen or sun-safe habits, and that the study relied on a highly concentrated grape powder rather than occasional, casual snacking.
