Recent research declares that grape pomace, a winemaking byproduct, can help control blood sugar levels. The researchers from Spain have conducted a study where they’ve observed the consequences of supplementation of grape pomace in humans.
The study was funded by the Ministry of Economy and Enterprise of Spain and was published in the Journal of Functional Foods.
Grape pomace is the solid residue of grapes after their mass has been compelled for liquid extraction.
For the study, the researchers employed 10 healthy women aged 25 to 65 years old. They did not consume any prebiotic, antibiotic, probiotic, or vitamin supplement in the six months earlier to the study. The participants also experienced a 10-day washout period where they followed a low-polyphenol diet. However, after that, the participants were given two capsules of grape pomace once a day. They consumed the capsules for around three weeks. One grape capsule weighed 700 milligrams (mg).
The investigators also collected blood samples of the participants after an overnight fast. They collected samples,
- At the beginning of the research, after the washout period
- After two weeks of consuming green pomace supplement
- At the end of the supplement therapy
The results of the study demonstrated that after the consumption of grape pomace, the expression of mRNA, linked to glucose production, altered. This supported a lessened risk of Type-2 diabetes. In addition, the researchers saw a significant decrease in the blood fasting glucose levels of the women, after the treatment period.
With these findings, the researchers revealed that grape pomace can be considered a favorable functional agent for improving the overall health. Moreover, it also helps in avoiding diseases, particularly Type-2 diabetes.
A huge part of grapes is consumed for wine production, every year. Wine is prepared from grapes, but not every portion of the grape goes into the jug of wine. In fact, about a quarter of the grapes are generally discarded in landfills as waste.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has declared that the global wine industry produces around 14 million tons of pomace every year. However, most of the winemakers do not know what to do with it. Fortunately, researchers from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln established a way to turn grape waste into a renewable source.
The researchers have established a way to use wine leftovers, such as the stalks, seeds, and skins of grapes. They used them as natural food preservatives and for producing grape oils, antioxidants, and dietary fibers.
Grape pomace holds many antioxidants, such as anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, and ellagic acid. These antioxidants bind to free radicals and shield the corporal cells against damage.
In this research, the researchers separated the phenolic complexes from the other components of the grape pomace and evaluated them to make sure that they met the required safety objectives.
These phenolic composites seemed to hinder lipid oxidation. Thus, the researchers added them to common fat-rich foods such as ranch dressing and mayonnaise. These phenolic compounds elevated the shelf life of these fatty foods. This effect was particularly seen when the samples were kept under a warm temperature for a longer period of time.
The researchers demonstrated these discoveries at the 255th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS).