History of Grape Extract
Since ancient times, people have not only used grapes to eat and drink, but also for medicinal purposes as well. Different parts of the plant from the grapes to the leaves and stem have also been used.
French Paradox
Scientists became extremely interested in grapes when comparing diets among western countries and discovered that although the French tend to eat higher levels of animal fat, surprisingly their incidence of heart disease remained low. This phenomenon has been termed the 'French Paradox'. The term French Paradox was coined by Dr. Serge Renaud, a scientist from Bordeaux University in France.
There is evidence to suggest that the French habit of moderate red wine drinking may play a part in this French Paradox. Some scientists think that red wine (and one antioxidant pholyphenol in particular – Resveratrol), may be the primary element responsible for the French longevity and comparatively good health.
But Resveratrol is only part of the story…
We believe that while Resveratrol plays an important role in aiding healthy longevity, we must take a more holistic approach. Resveratrol is just one type of antioxidant found in wine. There is a whole range of other antioxidant nutrients that support the action of Resveratrol, found naturally in grape seeds and skins, that need be taken into account when explaining the French Paradox.
How Antioxidants Work
Antioxidants have the ability to scavenge free radicals from the body. An oxygen atom, which in a stable state has four pairs of electrons, becomes unstable when it loses an electron and is referred to as a free radical. Free radicals attach themselves to body tissues in order to stabilise themselves - taking electrons from other atoms in body tissue and by doing so, producing yet more free radicals. The result is an explosion of oxidations - implicated in many of the degenerative diseases of aging such as heart disease and tissue and joint degeneration.
Everybody is exposed to free radicals through the body’s natural metabolic processes but if you exercise, live in an urban environment such as a city or large town, or smoke you are exposed to higher levels than most other people. Smokers, and second-hand smokers, are bombarded by free radicals because free radicals are also the product of pollutants.
Antioxidants are structured in such a way that their electrons are not paired and they are able to donate electrons freely. What this means is that antioxidants can stabilise free radicals without themselves becoming dangerous. In fact, antioxidants will go about donating electrons until they have no more; one antioxidant molecule is able to neutralise many free radicals.
Not all antioxidants are created equal. OPCs (Oligomeric proanthocyanidins) are one of the strongest forms of antioxidant and are found in large quantities in grape seed and grape skin – and thus, in Mountain Red Grape Extract Ultra + R. Resveratrol is just one type of OPC.
Further research suggests that OPCs present in red wine can promote cardiovascular health. Grape seeds have been found to be the richest source of OPCs. Polyphenols, including Resveratrol have shown a significant volume of research that indicates its positive effects on the body.
The way we measure the antioxidant activity of a compound is in ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity). One 500mg capsule of Mountain Red Grape Extract Ultra + R has been tested to contain antioxidant activity with an ORAC rating of 6600 µmol Trolox Equivalents/g (in comparison a similar quantity of Vitamin C has an ORAC of 1800 µmol Trolox Equivalents/g).
MORE than just a Resveratrol Supplement…
The team at Mountain Red have taken two years researching supplements containing Resveratrol and wanted to bring to the world an antioxidant blend containing not just Resveratrol but a more complete spectrum of antioxidant compounds from grape than is currently available. In addition they wanted to continue the key philosophies of using only New Zealand derived product, fully traceable and sustainably managed, and with product manufactured to the highest standards available. The result of this work is Mountain Red Grape Extract Ultra + R.
New Zealand source
The trans Resveratrol and other antioxidants, are extracted from New Zealand red and white grape extract rather than imported Japanese Giant Knotweed root. The grapes are grown under a sustainable viticulture programme that ensures that only sustainably managed sources are used in the production of the product. In addition each batch of product is tested to ensure that it is free from any potentially harmful residues.
Superior New Zealand Grapes
Due to the hole in the ozone layer directly overhead, New Zealand’s sunlight has extremely high levels of UV. Grapes grown here have adapted by producing exceptionally high levels of natural bioactives in their skin and seeds. The seeds of Marlborough’s Sauvignon blanc grapes have a much higher level of antioxidants than seeds from other grape varieties from around the world.
In addition the use of unfermented Pinot noir skins ensures that all the bioactives are retained in the skin and have not leached out during processing. Normal red wine making involves pressing red grapes for juice, then adding back into that juice the red skins so that the antioxidant red components of the skins (tannins or phenolics) are leached out of the skins and into the juice to turn it red during fermentation. This means that the health benefits associated with the antioxidants in red wine actually come from the skins, and the skins used in this process will no longer contain these antioxidants. Since we start with unfermented red grape skins all the health-giving antioxidants are still maintained in the skins so that our Red Grape Extract contains the complete range of antioxidants. Most manufacturering processes use skins that have been sourced after they have been fermented with the juice, and therefore they do not contain this complete range of antioxidants.
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