Antioxidant-rich Chardonnay grape seeds contain polyphenols that may protect against oxidative stress linked to obesity.
Researchers fed hamsters a high-fat diet, but supplemented it with grape seed extract. Animals fed that diet had adiponectin levels 61 percent higher than animals only fed the high fat diet. Adiponectin is a protein hormone linked to various metabolic processes, and levels are inversely related to body fat levels.
Furthermore, increases in blood sugar, triglycerides, insulin and insulin resistance were observed in the high-fat diet only group, but supplementation with the grape seed extract was found to prevent these effects, at least in part. Insulinemia and leptinemia were decreased by 16.5 and 45 percent, respectively.