A Tiny, Round Fruit for Better Blood Flow

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 3 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.

Boundless Benefits
The blood flow benefits were even better after 3 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 don't fill up your saltshaker just yet. Get the whole scoop on salt intake and hypertension.)

Reality Check
Of course, no single food will make your heart and arteries impervious to the perils of a bad diet. So in addition to fresh fruit like antioxidant-rich grapes, feed your heart what it really wants, including:

• Garlic, olive oil, and dark chocolate. Here's why you need these -- plus four more "must eats."
• Oatmeal with strawberries. Find out what makes this pair so potent for your heart.
• A couple of shakes of cinnamon each day. Here's how it can help.

Think that 120/80 is a healthy blood pressure measurement? Think again. Check out what the YOU Docs have to say about truly healthy blood pressure numbers.

Vasoprotective endothelial effects of a standardized grape product in humans. Chaves, A. A. et al., Vascular Pharmacology 2008 Sep 7.

Chronic intake of a phytochemical-enriched diet reduces cardiac fibrosis and diastolic dysfunction caused by prolonged salt-sensitive hypertension. Seymour, E. M. et al., Journals of Gerontology: Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences 2008 Oct;63(10):1034-1042.