Grape skin extract has now taken the world by storm due to its healing properties. Wine has been derived from the skin, seeds and juice. The skin can now also be of value in that it is used to make grape skin extract. The purest form of grape skin extract hails from the outer layer of the grape that should be red.

The healing properties of grapes have been known to man for as long as six thousand years ago. The Egyptians used grapes as part of their diet at the time. Philosophers in Greece promoted ingesting grapes in the glass (wine) in order to be healed. In Europe, the natives there used an ointment made from grapes to cure eye and skin conditions. Grape leaves were used successfully to cure pain, hemorrhoids and bleeding. Unripe grapes were successfully used to relieve pain in throats. Raisins, which are dried grapes helped with constipation. Major medical issues as cancer, kidney, liver and certain skin problems have been cured with this miracle food.

Sailors first discovered the incredible medicinal benefits of this miracle extract in 1535 that were on board the expedition of Jacques Cartier to Canada. The sailors developed scurvy and became seriously ill. Scurvy is a degenerative disease resulting from a lack of nutrients and affects the connective tissues. Most seafarers follow a diet of biscuits and dried meats and lack vitamins. On the advice of a Native American, the seamen made a tea from the bark of a specific pine tree species that helped them recover. It is believed that the active ingredient in the pine tree bark was OPCs or oligomeric proanthocyanidins. OPCs are natural antioxidants that are particularly potent.

Many hundreds of years ago in the 1930′s vitamin C or ascorbic acid were credited with treating and curing scurvy. Most vegetables and fruits are host to vitamin C.

OPC’s were later found to be in grape skins in a concentrated form. The darker the skin of the grape, the stronger the concentration of OPC (oligomeric proanthocanidins).

Essential nonbioflavonoid polyphenols are found in Resveratrol. Resveratrol is a plant based enzyme and in peanuts, grapes and pines, with grapes having the most concentrated form. Crushing the grapes when making wine increases the resveratrol levels immensely.

The anti inflammatory effects are far more significant than is the case with Indomethacin and Phenylbutazone that are drug based anti inflammatory. Resveratrol in studies on animals has revealed that acute and chronic phases of inflammation were retarded when using resveratrol.

It has been discovered that blood will thin faster on resveratrol than aspirin. People now take resveratrol in order to prevent coronary thrombosis.

Cancer development has been shown to retard in cases where animals have ingested resveratrol. It prevents the growth of tumors and transforms pre cancerous cells back to normal. It also stops carcinogens dead in their tracks.

It is not known what dosages of resveratrol are needed in order for humans to get results from this enzyme. There is no doubt though, in the medical fraternity that ingesting this will retard or prevent the onset of condition such as: visual disturbance, aging, bruising, inflammation and myocardial infarction and other diseases of the heart.

Elizabeth Steele is an expert in the field of health supplements. To learn more about the benefits of Grape skin extract supplement, check out her website and get additional information on resveratrol.