16 Health Benefits of Eating Grapes

In addition to being a delicious fruit, the grape has magnificent properties that, together, provide excellent nutritional value. For all these reasons, the grape is very beneficial for the health in general and for the sight in particular. If you continue reading this article you will expand your knowledge about this fruit from the Caucasus and Western Asia and, above all, you will know how it can help you to maintain your sight in an optimal state for a long time.

The grape has been much appreciated since ancient times, although it was the Greeks and Romans who most promoted it and made it known to almost everyone. Its healing properties added to its pleasant aroma and flavor has always been the key to the success of this light, nutritious and very beneficial food for our body.

Properties and nutritional value

The grape combines its low caloric level (approximately 70 Kcal per 100 grams) with interesting amounts of fiber, vitamins and minerals, among other components. This combination makes the grape a very suitable food to provide the body with the necessary nutrients, while maintaining body weight at adequate levels.

The main nutritional components of the white grape are:

Vitamins: A, B1, B2, B3, C and K.

Minerals: phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, zinc and copper, among others.

Antioxidants: flavonoids, polyphenols, resveratriol, tannins and catechins.

And in addition: carbohydrates, proteins, fiber, glucose, fructose and sugars in moderate amounts.

Some people do not consume them because they think they are very caloric, but 100 grams of grapes provide 70 calories. In addition, the caloric contribution of the grape is compensated by its depurative capacity. They also contain a lot more water more than 80% water that helps to lighten the body and its calcium (15 mg / 100 g) and other alkaline elements stimulate the liver (the organ that balances the acidity of the blood and cleanses it). 

Raw grapes are delicious and versatile, lending themselves to be part of fruit salads, mueslis, cakes and all kinds of sweets. But we can also incorporate them in salty recipes to get a bittersweet touch.

Benefits and properties

1. Antioxidants 

The skin of black grapes contains resveratrol, a substance that blocks free radicals, directly related to aging and cellular degeneration. Therefore, there are those who consider grapes as an elixir of eternal youth.

What makes the grape such a unique fruit is that it is a berry and, as such, is rich in phytonutrients. The black grapes are rich in anthocyanins, which provide their beautiful purple color, and resveratrol, while white highlights quercetin. The effect of all these substances on health is so evident that it has provoked numerous studies in this regard.

2. Anti-inflammatory 

The grape can contribute very positively when it comes to improving inflammatory diseases.

3. Detoxifiers 

The grapes act as detoxifying the liver, improving liver problems. They are also good for the kidney because it helps to eliminate uric acid thanks to its diuretic properties.

4. To take care of the heart 

They favor the good condition of the arteries and the heart. They improve vasodilatation and decrease the risk of thrombosis. Because of their potassium content, they help reduce blood pressure, which makes them very suitable for people with high blood pressure.

5. The grape for gout, hypertension, and arthritis

The grapes favor the good functioning of the kidneys. This effect is especially beneficial to improve the cases of gout or high uric acid. In addition, people with high blood pressure and kidney stones can benefit from grape consumption.

6. The grape as a diuretic

It is a fruit that will help us to eliminate in a natural way the excess of liquids retained in the body and will favor the expulsion of waste products and toxins from our body.

7. Grapes to take care of the sight

In this field, grape anthocyanins are not only excellent for preventing degenerative eye diseases such as cataracts, but also help us to maintain visual acuity for a longer time.

8. Grapes for wrinkles

They have the quality of delaying the appearance of wrinkles, not in vain, there are many beauty treatments whose main ingredients is crushed grapes and applied to the area to be treated. Grapes take care of our skin, hair and keep it young for longer.

9. Problems in the skin

Do you suffer from stress dermatitis? Eczema? All these skin problems can be alleviated, not only following the recommendations of our doctor but making an effort because in our diet the grapes are much more present.

According to studies such as medicinal properties of grape seed, this fruit can improve all those diseases or problems that are the result of inflammatory or bacterial processes. Even, in those that are related to allergies.

There are different ways to consume this fruit. We can even make smoothies or pies to make it more attractive to take them. We encourage you to investigate the different ways of eating this delicious fruit.

10. Cancer prevention

Without a doubt, this is one of the benefits that always cause controversy when they are associated with any food. The reason is that there are no guarantees that, by themselves, certain foods such as grapes can eradicate or prevent this disease.

However, it is true that its components can help improve their health and that several studies have agreed that grape consumption is associated with a reduction in the risk of colon, breast, lung or prostate cancer.

The investigations that have been made, although not all, have been in living beings different from humans. For this reason, it is necessary to conduct more studies in humans to determine that the grape can be a powerful protector against this disease.

11. Grapes to take care of the liver

Another great benefit of the consumption of grapes is the hepatoprotective effect exerted by this healthy berry on the liver. This is mainly due to the resveratrol that acts protecting the liver and favoring its proper functioning. People with fatty liver can benefit especially from the properties of the grape.

12. Diabetes

The grape is an especially interesting fruit for people with diabetes, since, besides anthocyanins contribute to preventing diabetic retinopathy they also have antidiabetic and vasoprotective action.

13. Anticholesterol

Related to the previous points, the grapes are also good to fight against cholesterol. That's why they are in all diets of this type. Write it down and put it in the shopping cart.

14. Folic acid 

Nutritionists always recommend black or red grapes to newly pregnant women, since they are very good for the first months of pregnancy, facilitating cell division due to their properties.

15. Low fat

The green grapes, in this case, win the red grapes. The former have less sugar, less carbohydrates and, although they may be a little more acidic, they have less fat.

16. Good for the bones

The grapes, especially the green ones, are rich in vitamins K and B1, which have been shown to be very good for the correct maintenance of bones and the prevention of bone diseases of all kinds.

Regarding its nutritional value, the grape, within the fruits contain an average value of sugars ranging from 11.3g / 100g of fruit with the white grape being the lowest concentration to 21.3g / 100g of the Burgundy grape, the rest of named varieties oscillate between 16.7 and 18.1 g / 100.

However, until now, it has been discovered that the polyphenols present in the grape have significant responses as antioxidant and pro-oxidant in cancer.

Do you eat enough grapes? Do you do it only when it's the end of the year? Despite all these benefits, many of which need more research, it is always positive to include more variety of fruits in our diet.

We can also prepare recipes, shakes and try different flavors that, undoubtedly, will allow us to provide our body with many more nutrients. We hope that this article has allowed you to know much more about this delicious fruit.