Grapes are fruiting berries that grow on deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. They commonly grow in clusters of 15-300 and can be dark blue, black, green, yellow, orange, crimson, pink or white. All of these varieties have evolved from the purple grape. Each of these varieties typically has an ellipsoid shape that resembles a prolate spheroid. Grapes are commonly used to make jams, jellies, wine, juice, vinegar, grape seed oil, grape seed extract, raisins and are eaten raw.

Calories in Grapes

Nutrition of Grapes

Grapes have a very high nutritional content, even when they have been dried to produce currants or raisins. This fruit provides ideal nutrition for a variety of age groups.

• They are very high in vitamins including vitamins A, C6, B1, B2, and B6.
• Grapes also contain essential minerals including chlorine, calcium, fluorine, copper, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, manganese, silicon, potassium and sulfur.
• They are also high in essential acids such as malic, tartaric, succinic, glyceric, fumaric, p-coumaric and caffeic acids.
• Sulfur compounds such as lycopene, beta-carotene, resveratrol and ellagic acid can be found in grapes.
• They are also high in valuable antioxidants such as flavones, anthocyanins, linalool, geranoil, nerol and tannins.

Health Benefits of Grapes

• Asthma. Grapes are commonly used in therapy to help manage asthma symptoms. They also help to hydrate the body, keeping moisture in the lungs to reduce the chances of asthma attacks.
• Heart Diseases. Grapes increase the blood’s natural oxide levels that can help to prevent blood clots, which lowers your risk of a heart attack. The antioxidants in grapes also help to lower your LDL or “bad” cholesterol which can clog the blood vessels and cause heart disease.
• Migraine. Drinking ripe grape juice with no added water first thing in the morning is a common home remedy for migraine discomfort.
• Constipation. Grapes are considered a laxative food because they contain high amounts of sugar, cellulose and organic acid that can tone the stomach and intestinal muscles to relieve constipation.
• Indigestion. Grapes are a light food that is considered more effective in treating dyspepsia. They can also be consumed to relieve irritation, heat or indigestion in the stomach.
• Fatigue. Drinking grape juice will give you a dose of antioxidants that will boost your immune system and provide you with more energy. You can also consume white or light grape juice to increase your iron content to better manage fatigue. However, dark grape juice can lower your body’s iron content.
• Kidney Problems. Grapes help to remove acid, specifically uric acid, from your system. This will reduce the stress on your kidneys to reduce your risk of kidney disorders.
• Alzheimer’s Disease. Grape juice contains the polyphenol resveratrol that helps to lower amyloidal-beta peptides, helping to delay degenerative neural diseases like Alzheimer’s. Resveratrol can also improve brain health in those that are already suffering from these conditions.
• Macular Degeneration. Consuming three servings of grapes per day has been found to reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration or loss of vision by over 36 percent.
• Cholesterol. The high amount of pterostilbene can lower your cholesterol levels. The skins of grapes also contain saponins that can bind with cholesterol so your body will not absorb it.
• Antibacterial Activity. Red grapes have antiviral properties and antibacterial properties that are known to be particularly effective against the herpes simplex and polio viruses
• Cancer Prevention. The resveratrol in grapes has anti-inflammatory properties that may reduce your chances of developing breast and colorectal cancers. Grape juices also contain proanthocyanidins and anthocyanins that will prevent cancerous agents from growing in the body and suppress the propagation of existing cancerous cells. Furthermore, the pigments in grapes will boost the immune system to help you ward off a variety of diseases, including cancer.