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New research published in the Journal of Nutrition has suggested that eating grapes may help protect heart health in people with metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions - increased blood pressure, a high blood sugar level, excess body fat around the waist or abnormal cholesterol levels - that occur together, increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

Metabolic syndrome is a major public health concern, and is on the rise in the U.S. and the study is believed to be the first to look at the impact of grapes on metabolic syndrome.

Researchers say natural components found in grapes help reduce blood pressure and inflammation and improve blood flow, key factors for heart disease, in men with metabolic syndrome.

The randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study was led by principal investigator Maria Luz Fernandez and Jacqueline Barona. They recruited men between 30 and 70 years of age with metabolic syndrome.

The men were randomly assigned to consume grapes, in the form of a freeze-dried whole grape powder, or a placebo powder, for four weeks. Then, following a 3-week "washout" period where neither grapes nor placebo were consumed, individuals were allocated to the alternate treatment.

The study results showed that for each of the study's subjects, grape consumption resulted in significant decreases in blood pressure, improved blood flow (greater vasodilation), and decreases in a compound associated with inflammation.

"These results suggest that consuming grapes can improve important risk factors associated with heart disease, in a population that is already at higher risk," Fernandez said. "This further supports the accumulating evidence that grapes can positively influence heart health, and extends it to men with metabolic syndrome."

Other ways to prevent and manage metabolic syndrome include eating a diet low in fat, with a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain products, getting regular exercise, at least 30 minutes of moderate activity almost every day, losing weight so that your body mass index (BMI) is less than 25, managing blood pressure and blood sugar, not smoking and trying to include fish, preferably oily fish, in your diet at least twice a week.