Article courtesy of WorldHealth. net

The most common joint disease among Americans, osteoarthritis is a condition where the natural cushioning between joints – the cartilage – wears away.  Because symptom management is often ineffective and joint replacement is major surgery, many osteoarthritis suffers seek natural approaches.

Grapes are rich in anti-inflammatory compounds that have been shown to reduce inflammation.  Shanil Juma, from Texas Woman’s University and colleagues conducted a sixteen week clinical study, in which 72 men and women with knee osteoarthritis were assigned to either consume grapes in the form of a whole grape freeze-dried powder, or a placebo powder.  The data revealed that both men and women consuming a grape-enriched diet had a significant decrease in self-reported pain related to activity and an overall decrease in total knee symptoms – notably, improved joint flexibility and overall mobility.

This beneficial effect was more pronounced in females.  Attributing these observed…