What are Grape Seed Polyphenols?

Grape seed polyphenols are phytonutrients that occur naturally in the seeds of grapes, especially red grapes. Polyphenols may have beneficial health effects. These substances are available in grape seed extracts that are sold as nutritional supplements.

Polyphenols

• According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, polyphenols include flavonoids and non-flavonoids and occur naturally in many foods including tea, red wine and red grapes (See Reference 1). These substances may have antioxidant properties, enhance the human immune system and improve communication between the body's cells.

Grape Seeds

• Grape seeds are important sources of polyphenols, Vitamin E and linoleic acid, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center (See Reference 2).

Edema

• People with edema, or swelling from an injury or from surgery, may experience relief and improvement from grape seed extract supplements that include polyphenols (See Reference 2).

Cholesterol

• Some studies show that grape seed extract with polyphenols may help people lower their low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad" cholesterol (See Reference 2).

Other Uses

• People have used grape seed extracts with polyphenols to help improve blood sugar control, reduce the risk of cancer and improve night vision (See Reference 2).