The Sunday News
THE ways to consume grapes are endless — from red, green and purple grapes to seedless grapes, grape jelly, grape jam and grape juice. And don’t forget wine and raisins! This popular fruit’s history goes back as far as 8 000 years, when grapevines were first cultivated in what is now the Middle East.It may surprise you to hear that the humble grape is actually considered to be a berry. Seventy-two million tonnes of these berries are grown each year worldwide, with most of them being used to produce wine — 7,2 trillion gallons of wine per year, to be exact.
The portability, texture, flavour and variety of grapes have made them a popular finger food in countries all over the world. The potential health benefits of consuming grapes are numerous, with past studies associating them with prevention of cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure and constipation.
Nutritional breakdown
The average serving size for grapes is about one cup, or 32 grapes. As a useful measure, you can use the size of your fist to estimate the proper portion size for grapes.
One cup of red or green grapes contains 104 calories, 1,09 grammes of protein, 0,24 grammes of fat, 1,4 grammes of fibre, 4,8 milligrammes of vitamin C, 10 microgrammes of Vitamin A, 288 milligrammes of potassium, 0,54 milligrammes of iron and 3 microgrammes of folate.
Grapes are high in water content and good for hydration. High water-content fruits and vegetables are nutrient dense, meaning they provide a large amount of essential nutrients while containing few calories. Grapes contain 70 millilitres of fluid per cup.
Grapes are high in antioxidants important for eye health such as lutein and zeaxanthin, and red grapes contain the phytochemical resveratrol in their skins, the antioxidant synonymous with wine known to lend protection from several chronic diseases and conditions. Grapes also boast the power of the flavonoids myricetin and quercetin which help the body to counter-act harmful free radical formation.
Possible health benefits
Consuming fruits and vegetables of all kinds has long been associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other conditions. Many studies have shown that increasing consumption of plant foods like grapes decreases the risk of obesity and overall mortality. Grapes also have some special components that make them even more essential to our health, giving them “super food” status and reducing the risk of the following conditions:
Cancer: Grapes contain powerful antioxidants known as polyphenols, which may slow or prevent many types of cancer, including esophageal, lung, mouth, pharynx, endometrial, pancreatic, prostate and colon.
The resveratrol found in red wine famous for heart health is a type of polyphenol found in the skins of red grapes.
Heart Disease: The flavonoid quercetin is a natural anti-inflammatory that appears to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and protect against the damage caused by low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in animal studies. Quercetin may have the additional bonus of anti-cancer effects; however more studies are needed using human subjects before these results can be confirmed.
The high polyphenol content in grapes may also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) by preventing platelet build-up and reducing blood pressure via anti-inflammatory mechanisms.
The fibre and potassium in grapes also support heart health. An increase in potassium intake along with a decrease in sodium intake is the most important dietary change that a person can make to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease, according to Mark Houston, MD, MS, an associate clinical professor of medicine at Vanderbilt Medical School and director of the Hypertension Institute at St Thomas Hospital in Tennessee.
High potassium intakes are also associated with a reduced risk of stroke, protection against loss of muscle mass, preservation of bone mineral density and reduction in the formation of kidney stones.
High Blood Pressure: As noted above, potassium has many benefits for the body. It may be that a low potassium intake is just as big of a risk factor in developing high blood pressure as a high sodium intake. Because of their high potassium content, grapes are recommended to those with high blood pressure to help negate the effects of sodium in the body. — www.medicalnewstoday.com
