(NewsObserver) - The buzz about the benefits of red wine has many of us raising a glass to good health. And for those who choose not to imbibe, it turns out the booze behind the buzz may not be necessary. Grape juice and de-alcoholized wine can offer similar benefits.

Grapes give red wine a health boost. Studies show that a daily glass or two of red wine may lower the risk of heart disease. While alcohol content may be partially responsible for wine’s ability to relax blood vessels and increase levels of “good” (HDL) cholesterol, the hearty concentration of flavonoid compounds, such as anthocyanin, catechins and resveratrol, play their own role in heart health by boosting antioxidants. It comes as no surprise that purple grape juice – essentially unfermented red wine – boasts flavonoid compounds as well.

Grape flavonoids seem to have similar protective effects in juice as they have in wine. Studies show that these compounds help prevent the oxidation of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol that leads to plaque formation and build-up inside artery walls. According to a study in the journal Circulation, when 15 patients with cardiovascular disease were given a glass of grape juice each day for two weeks, their LDL oxidation was significantly reduced and blood flowed more freely through the arteries. And according to preliminary research in a 2007 Cardiovascular Research study, grape juice stimulated the production of nitric acid in cells lining the arteries, which allows for improved blood flow.