Consuming grapes may enhance the skin’s protective barrier against environmental damage by altering gene activity, according to a groundbreaking study conducted by Western New England University.
Grape phytochemicals interact with the microbiome, influencing gene expression and promoting skin health. Image credit: Nicky Pe.
Grapes are rich in a variety of natural compounds known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, making them a valuable addition to your diet.
Key components include quercetin, anthocyanins, and the well-known resveratrol.
Clinical research has linked regular grape consumption to various health benefits, including enhanced cardiovascular health, reduced inflammation, improved bowel function, and better cognitive performance in older adults.
“We are increasingly confident that grapes serve as a superfood, mediating nutritional genomic responses in humans,” stated Professor John Pezzuto, the study’s lead author from Western New England University.
“This was particularly evident in the body’s largest organ, the skin.”
“Notably, we observed changes in gene expression that indicated improved skin health.”
“Furthermore, grape consumption likely influences gene expression in other vital organs, such as the liver, muscles, kidneys, and even the brain.”
“This research enriches our understanding of how whole foods, like grapes, impact overall health.”
“It’s thrilling to be part of a post-genomics era, where we can visualize the complex matrices that illustrate nutritional genomic responses.”
The study involved human volunteers who consumed the equivalent of three servings of whole grapes daily for two weeks.
Gene expression in the skin was measured both before and after grape ingestion, with and without exposure to low-dose ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
The findings displayed variations in gene expression between individuals, indicating unique responses to both grape consumption and UV exposure.
More significant changes were observed when UV exposure coincided with grape consumption.
Thus, while individual responses varied, all participants experienced notable changes in gene expression after eating grapes.
By identifying functional similarities in gene expression changes post-grape consumption, researchers noted increased keratinization of the skin, a process that forms a protective barrier against environmental harm.
This conclusion was further reinforced by exposing the skin to low doses of UV radiation and measuring malondialdehyde, an oxidative stress marker, which decreased with grape consumption.
“Our results, primarily based on transcriptomic data and theoretical protein-protein interactions, support the conclusion that grape consumption benefits skin health,” the researchers confirmed.
“Of course, other factors such as non-coding RNA and epigenetics also play a role and require further exploration.”
For more details, refer to their published paper in ACS Nutrition.
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Asim Dave et al. Inter- and intra-individual variation in gene expression in human skin after grape consumption and/or exposure to ultraviolet radiation. ACS Nutritional Science, published online on May 13, 2026. doi: 10.1021/acsnutrsci.6c00003
Source: www.sci.news
