Grape seed protects your skin & body against free radicals

Photo by Pamela Heywood

When in doubt, look to European countries like France, Italy and Spain to take a cue from their culinary habits. Grape seed oil has been a staple in many European kitchens for centuries. Argentina is also another country that has adopted this powerful antioxidant in their diet. Grape seed oil is pressed from the seeds of many varieties of Vitis vinifera grapes, an abundant by-product of winemaking. It is plentifully used in salad dressings, marinades, baking and deep frying.

Grape seed oil is also used in many cosmetic products such as sunburn lotions, hair care products, lip balms and hand cream.

A recent study by the University of Alabama revealed some incredible new facts about the power of the grape seed in the fight against skin cancer: grape seed proanthocyanidins (GSP) have been shown to reduce skin chemical carcinogenesis and photocarcinogenesis in laboratory mice experiments.

It appears that incorporating the antioxidant power of grape seed in your diet, may block the effects of UV light on the immune system.

You can easily purchase grape seed oil at most natural health food stores in the US and across Canada. There are more and more conventional grocery stores carrying grape seed oil so you can now pick it up when you purchase your groceries and you don’t have to make a special trip just to buy it.

For a more concentrated and assertive approach, you might want to consider grape seed extracts that are available in most natural health food stores in the country.

You can read more on the research: Grape seed may help prevent skin cancer.