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Grocery stores never run out of grapes. These berries are a mainstay of the fruit aisles, regardless of the season. They quickly catch your eye because of their vibrant red, black, green, yellow, pink and purple colors. But the real question is, “Are grapes good for you?” Learn why these vine fruits deserve a spot on your daily healthy plate and the 10 reasons they’re beneficial to health.
Grapes are chock-full of essential nutrients that make them a great addition to your healthy plate. These nutritional benefits can help reduce your risk for certain diseases, improve brain health and strengthen your immune system.
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that aids the immune system in fighting diseases. A cup of these round fruits weighing about 92 grams has 3.68 mg of vitamin C, making them a good source of nutritious compounds to support robust immunity. They’re your best bet for a vitamin C boost if you want something not citrusy.
Potassium is a mineral with several health functions. It can help lower blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. Cardiovascular ailments are among the leading causes of fatality among Americans. While exercising, taking medications and other positive lifestyle shifts can minimize the incidence of heart disease, proper nutrition by eating more of these vine fruits may help fill the daily potassium requirement to promote better heart health.
Do you want healthy skin and shiny, radiant hair? Eating these berries is a natural and affordable solution to have smooth and hydrated skin and hair. These are full of vitamin E to help prevent skin conditions like acne and improve the blood flow to the scalp for better-growing locks. Save money on personal care products by nourishing your skin and hair from the inside.
A cup of red or green grapes that weighs about 151 grams has 22 µg of vitamin K and 0.191 mg of copper. Both of these nutrients are essential in energy production, bone-building and blood clotting. Improve bone health until old age by consuming grapes regularly.
Grapes also have a high water content, meaning you can snack on them to elevate your hydration and improve digestion without worrying about weight gain. They taste great and refresh you like a cucumber lemonade during hot weather. They’re about 82% water so you can eat more to feel satiated. Apart from this, grapes also contain pectin — a soluble fiber that helps reduce your total cholesterol levels.
Resveratrol is found in the skins of the red variety of grapes and belongs to the micronutrients called polyphenols that have significant health-promoting benefits. Stacked with anti-inflammatory effects and antioxidants, eating grapes can protect you against cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. You get all this good stuff by including these nutritious vine fruits in your diet.
These berries are among the slumber superstars, containing the sleep hormone melatonin that promotes quality shuteye. Sleep deprivation is a massive problem among Americans due to their lifestyle. Melatonin is an essential chemical in regulating the sleep-wake cycle. Munching on grapes instead of cake for dessert after dinner may help you relax and sleep better.
These berries are loaded with insoluble fiber that helps moderate bowel movements. They help promote a healthy digestive tract and are one of the best fruits to eat for people with irritable bowel syndrome or constipation, as they contain less fructose.
Red grape berries contain three types of flavonoids — tannin, flavonols and anthocyanin. Tannins are found in the skin and are beneficial for regulating blood sugar and countering the damage caused by free radicals. All three combine to form flavonoids with powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cardio-protective effects. After learning of their potent health benefits, you’ll never see grapes the same way.
Grapes are sweet, so people naturally think it’s a fruit people with diabetes should avoid. But it’s the contrary, as grapes have a low GI value. The antioxidants in these berries — such as the proanthocyanidins, phenolic acids, flavonols and anthocyanins — prevent sudden sugar spikes, making it easier to process the changes in glucose after a meal. People with sugar level irregularities can considerably benefit from eating grapes as they’re one of the recommended fruits for them.
These benefits prove grapes are premium fruits because of their nutritional makeup.
Others say one serving — half a cup with about 16 pieces of grapes — is good. But people often don’t count the quantity of berries they eat and end up eating more than usual.
One study revealed eating about two cups of grapes daily can help offset the adverse effects of a high-fat Western diet. Although the study was conducted on mice, the results showed positive associations between consuming grapes and lowering the risk of fatty liver — a common consequence of a high-fat eating pattern among Americans. Grapes also have compounds that may help promote a healthy gut microbiome so eating more may be required for those who need it.
The most common colors of grapes in the grocery stores are green and red. While both are nutritious, black grapes are the best option as they contain more healthful substances. They have more antioxidants as the darker skin tone contains more polyphenols. They also have more vitamins A, C and K than other grape colors. Furthermore, black grapes are richer in resveratrol, which has anti-aging capabilities.
All of these nutritional benefits of grapes only tell one thing — they’re a great addition to your daily diet. Grapes are packed with healthful compounds that promote them as well-rounded fruits the body needs for proper functioning.
Grapes come in different colors, but the black varieties are the best choice. They may be slightly costly, but it’s worth the little price increase as you get more good stuff. The next time you drop by a grocery store, remember to pick a bag of delicious grapes for your daily diet supply.
