Benefits of Green Grapes, Black Grapes

A handy snack that you can just pop into your mouth, grapes is a wonderful alternative to popcorn and chips when chatting with friends, watching a movie, or even when you are working seriously! This delicious fruit satiates your sweet tooth, and also does you a lot of good. It can enjoyed as it is, or added to salads and raitas. 

Health experts suggest to carry a bunch of grapes in your snack box, and to buy a basketful of it every time you go to the market. So, here is how to select the best grapes.

Here’s How to select grapes: 

• Grapes are usually packed in bunches, and stored in soft cardboard boxes. 

• Choose the red to dark black coloured grapes, as they are more nutritious compared to the green grape variety. 

• Ensure that the grapes are fully ripe with minimal or no blemishes or skin ruptures. 

• See to it that the grape bunches are well coloured with plump berries firmly attached to green pliable stems.

9 Health Benefits of Grapes

1. Loaded with antioxidants : Our body is under continuous stress and exposure to pollution. This leads to the accumulation of free radicals in the body. We need to get rid of them to stay healthy and disease free. ‘Antioxidants’ are the most effective way to achieve this target. They help in scavenging the harmful free radicals and reduce the oxidative stress in our body.
While green grapes abound in vitamin C as a source of antioxidant, the black variety also is rich in ‘anthocyanins’ that give them their colour. Both these antioxidants are present in highest amounts just beneath the skin. Thus it is advisable to wash the grapes thoroughly and enjoy them.

2. Beneficial for Heart : The flavonoid quercitin found in grapes helps to reduce the risk of heart diseases and prevents the onset of stroke. Resveratrol is another antioxidant that grapes possess, which helps to reduce oxidative stress and keeps the arteries and linings of the heart healthy. Additionally this antioxidant, especially from the black grapes, has also been known to decrease blood cholesterol levels. 

3. Help Lower Blood Pressure : With not too high a sodium count to its credit coupled with good levels of potassium (5.7% per cup), grapes contain the necessary minerals to maintain blood pressure. Low intakes of potassium have often been linked to poor control of blood pressure and strokes.

4. Summer Thirst Quencher : The high water content in grapes makes it a wonderful fruit to enjoy during the summer. 

5. Prevents Skin Ageing : The free radicals are one of the top cause of ageing. Antioxidants from black grapes also help to reduce wrinkles on the skin and give it an appealing glow. Vitamin C (15.1 mg from a cup) also has a role to play in skin glow. It works towards collagen formation, which is required for skin elasticity and that perfect glow on your face. 

A pack of black grape pulp applied on the skin also does wonders. It not only refreshes you, but also makes your skin supple and smooth by serving as an exfoliating agent.

6. Treats Constipation : Grapes are also effective laxatives, and the green variety especially is a wonderful system cleanser. They tone up the stomach and intestinal muscles and help in easy movement of food through the digestive tract. Fiber (1.7 g per cup) from grapes also adds bulk and prevents constipation. 

7. Good for the Eyes : The antioxidants in grapes have been proven to be benefitting the eyes as well. They help in maintaining the lining of the eyes and prevent cataracts and macular degeneration.

8. Builds a Stronger Immune System : Vitamin C is known as an immune booster. Basically it helps to build our white blood cells (WBC), the immune cells, and builds a strong line of defence against common diseases like cold and cough.

9. Prevents the Onset of Cancer : Let’s not forget the anti-carcinogenic effect of the antioxidants of grapes. They have been known to protect against certain types of cancer like colon and stomach.

Get going to the market now, to buy and relish a handful of grapes. You will find almost every variety of the fruit in the market now, ranging from green to black, and seeded to seedless. Take your pick, enjoy its refreshing flavour, and reap its health benefits in the bargain. 

Grapes and Diabetes / Obesity : While grapes have a glycemic index of 53, which is low, it is just border line low. However, the low glycemic count is not the only indicator of good metabolic and blood sugar control. While it is true that the some research says that polyphenols from grapes exhibit antioxidant activity and thus may control diabetes, but its sugar and carb count cannot be overlooked either. Grapes can be consumed by diabetics or weight watchers, but only occasionally and the best pick would not be more than a handful (about 12 to 15 grapes). Moreover they should be a substitute to a snack, rather than an addition to another snack, until more research proves its certain positive health benefits in this area.

Grapes and Carbs : Since grapes are high in carbs, then those on low carb diets are advised not to have it.

Nutritive Information for Green Grapes:

1 Cup of grapes is about 140 grams
RDA stands for Recommended Daily Allowance.

Energy - 99 calories
Protein – 0.7 g
Carbohydrate – 23.1 g
Fat – 0.4 g
Fiber – 1.7 g

See full nutritional details of grapes in Green grapes glossary click here.