Maintaining your muscle strength and health as you age may be as simple as adding a bunch of grapes to your daily diet.

A new study suggests that grapes can cause changes in muscle-related genes, helping to prevent age-related muscle loss, especially in women.

Researchers from Western New England University studied 480 mice over 2½ years to determine how grape consumption might affect muscle gene expression.

The mice were separated into four groups: Females on a standard diet, females on a grape-supplemented diet, males on a standard diet and males on a grape-supplemented diet.

The study began when the mice reached one year of age. Those on the standard diet ate their regular food, while those on the grape-supplemented diet ate food with 5% grape powder, the equivalent of two servings of grapes for humans.

The researchers analyzed muscle tissue samples of representative mice from each group after a year and a half, when the mice reached an age equivalent to 80 years in humans.

The results for the grape-eating mice showed that 11 muscle-related genes out of 25 increased in activity, suggesting improved muscular health.

Both males and females on the grape diet saw genetic shifts, though the effects were more pronounced in females.

The genetic patterns of female mice on the grape diet were more like males than females on the standard diet, which suggests that adding grapes may help women’s muscles genetically function more like men’s.

While more research is needed to confirm the results, older adults who want to give their muscles a boost might want to consider adding a handful of grapes to their lunch.