The muscadine grape, for example, is causing a buzz among people seeking natural ways to look and feel healthy. Scientists have found muscadine grapes are loaded with more healthy compounds than other much-touted foods such as blueberries, goji berries, green tea, red wine and dark chocolate. Muscadine grapes and their seeds are one of nature's best sources of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.

Called "America's First Grape," muscadine grapes thrive in hot climates of the southeastern United States where regular grapes cannot. This environment makes them unique in their ability to heal themselves from disease, bacteria and fungi. These protective qualities benefit all who consume muscadine grapes and especially the seeds, where phenolic compounds are highly concentrated.

The muscadine story begins more than 400 years ago, when Native Americans taught North Carolina's earliest settlers about their medicinal benefits. Now, scientists have proven them right. For instance, compared to other grapes, muscadine grapes have 40 times more resveratrol -- the polyphenol, found in red wine that is proven to benefit cardiovascular health, blood sugar levels and the aging process, among other health issues.

"Muscadine grapes are no secret to many southerners who remember picking the sweet, juicy fruit growing along the wood lines or eating their grandmother's muscadine pie," says Rick Tomkinson, food scientist for North Carolina-based Nature's Pearl Corporation (www.naturespearlproducts.com). Nature's Pearl is cultivating the most potent muscadine grapes and making them available for the masses year-round in all-natural capsules.

"But, even those who have eaten muscadine grapes their whole lives probably didn't realize they were helping their bodies to fight what ails them," he says. "And, they most likely didn't eat the seeds, which offer the greatest health benefits."

Nature's Pearl has trademarked their product "The Smarter Grape" because Muscadine grapes have two more chromosomes than regular bunch grapes, which mean more functional genes and greater health benefits. Muscadine grapes not only have 10 times the antioxidants of blueberries and cranberries, they also contain unique combinations of other phenolic compounds, remarkable anti-inflammatory properties and combinations of over 100 nutraceuticals simply not found anywhere else, including Resveratrol, Ellagic acid, Quercetin and OPCs (oligmeric proanthocyanidins).

People around the country are now taking muscadine grape seeds to lower cholesterol, control blood sugar, alleviate arthritis, help erectile dysfunction, control migraines and even look and feel younger. Muscadine seeds also have been found to have an effect on PSA levels (or prostate specific antigens, an indicator of prostate cancer) and menopause, too.

As human clinical trials and more laboratory studies are under way, science is proving what our country's first inhabitants knew all along: Muscadine grape seeds are one of nature's most powerful and healthy foods.

To learn more about the history and health benefits of muscadine grapes and seeds, or where to buy Nature's Pearl Premium Muscadine Grape Seed Supplement, go to www.naturespearlproducts.com, or call (877) 998-2386.

Courtesy of ARA Content