A recent study conducted by a research team at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami found that a diet that includes grapes helps to protect eyes from retinal degenerative disease. The focus of the study was to determine the protective effect of grapes on the rods and cones Researchers used mice in the study. One group of mice received a grape in their diet while the control group did not. The mice receiving the grape had their rod and cone photoreceptor response increase three-fold and their retina also increased in thickness. Grapes helped to bring down the levels of inflammatory proteins but also raised the levels of protective proteins within the retina. Retinal degenerative diseases include macular degeneration, stargardt disease, and retinitis pigmentosa as well as others. These diseases cause permanent damage to the layer of tissue at the back of the inner eye.* VisiVite's Reziva is made from red French wine grapes. It contains no sugar or alcohol, and has as much trans-resveratrol as 30 glasses of wine.
Heard through the grapevine: grapes good for eyes
- by Dr. Paul Krawitz
- 06 June, 2014