Grape Seeds Can Prevent Skin Cancer
Studies conducted on animals reveal that chemicals present in grape seeds have the potential to ward off skin cancer caused by regular exposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sun.
In a research conducted at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, some hairless mice were exposed to ultraviolet light. Of them, some were supplemented with grape seeds (GSP- grape seed proanthocyanidins) while the others were not. The tumors seen in GSP-supplemented mice were up to 78 percent smaller than those seen in the other group.
“It suggests that regular consumptions of GSPs as a dietary supplement may be beneficial for the prevention of skin cancers,” says Dr. Santosh K. Katiyar.
The skin and seeds of grapes are rich in proanthocyanidins, an antioxidant flavonoid that destroys free radicals. It is the grape seeds that have more concentration of flavonoids. It has chemopreventive potentials and so it can prevent skin cancer.
Exposure to sunlight is the reason behind most cases of skin cancers in the United States. Cancers are caused due to UV-induced oxidative stress. GSP acts as antioxidant and also inhibits suppression of the immune system caused by ultraviolet light.