Previous studies have proposed that an increased dietary intake of fruits and vegetables, may beneficially impact Metabolic Syndrome, a group of health risk factors that are associated with cardiovascular disease and diabetes.  Factors include enlarged waist circumference, high blood pressure, elevated triglycerides, low HDL (“good”) cholesterol, and high fasting glucose levels.   In that phytochemicals may be a key component contributing to the health benefits of fruits and vegetables, Steven F Bolling, from University of Michigan Health System (Michigan, USA), and colleagues studied the effect of regular table grapes (a blend of green, red and black grapes), mixing them into a powdered form and incorporating them into the diets of laboratory rats as part of a high-fat, American style diet. All of the rats used were from a research breed that is prone to being overweight.    After three months, the rats that received the grape-enriched diet demonstrated lower blood pressure, better heart function, and reduced indicators of inflammation in the heart and the blood, as compared to rats who received no grape powder. The rats fed the grape-enriched diet also had lower triglycerides and improved glucose tolerance. The effects were seen even though the grape-fed animals had no change in body weight.  The team suggests that their study demonstrates that a grape-enriched diet can have broad effects on the development of heart disease and metabolic syndrome and the risk factors that go along with it, urging that: “The results suggest that regular intake of grapes reduced several risk factors for cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome.”