• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

The Joy of Wellness

Living better and longer, Natural Health

Main navigation

The Joy of Wellness

What? Would you like to find?
Browse by categories
  • Weight Loss
  • Health and Beauty
  • Diets and Nutrition
  • Natural Remedies
  • Alternative Medicine
  • Emotional Intelligence
  • Life in Fullness
  • The Joy of Wellness from A to Z
  • All topics

Properties of Grapes: A Small Fruit with Big Benefits

  • Destiny, Work or Luck (part two)
  • Health and Beauty for your Eyes

Published: 09/15/2015 - Updated: 03/08/2020

Author: Dra. Loredana Lunadei, PhD

Grapes have several beneficial properties.  They are small and juicy, they have a deliciously distinct flavor, and they are so very healthy for life.  The nutritional properties contained in grapes make them highly recommendable for including in your diet, they are rich in vitamin C and B-complex vitamins as well.

Properties of Grapes: A Small Fruit with Big BenefitsThis fruit comes from Europe and the Middle East, and they belong to the vitaceae family of the vitis genus.

They are widely known, and are used to create wine by fermenting its juice.  Drinking grape juice fresh, however, is also healthy.

Contents

  • Properties of grapes: Nutritional view
  • Benefits to eating grapes
  • How to choose grapes

Properties of grapes: Nutritional view

Grapes are made up of 80% water and fiber.  They are also a rich source of carbohydrates, which is why if you eat a lot of grapes, you may want to consider the amount of calories you have consumed.

As far as components go, they contain tannins, protein and fructose, carotenoids, vitamin A, B complex vitamins, and other vitamins like vitamin C, K, D, and E.  They also contain potassium, making them excellent for patients with hypertension, or for preventing high blood pressure.

They are a good source of iron, an important mineral for preventing anemia, which also strengthens the immune system.

They also contain phosphorous, which alleviates fatigue and tiredness, as well as calcium, another important mineral for the body.  Calcium helps prevent osteoporosis and muscle cramps.

Some of grape’s important compounds are located in their seeds and the skin.  Flavonoids, for example, are found in the skin on grapes, and they are important antioxidants.  They also moisturize skin and raise good cholesterol levels, or HDL.

  • Health and Beauty for your Eyes
    MORE IN THE JOY OF WELLNESS
    Health and Beauty for your Eyes

Benefits to eating grapes

This is an excellent fruit for fighting some types of health conditions, which is why eating grapes is highly recommendable.

Hypertension: thanks to their potassium and antioxidant content, grapes are a good idea.  We advise eating grapes for breakfast for 10 days straight, either as the whole grape, or juiced.

For skin and hair: Grape seed oil is recognized for its properties in protecting hair against heat and environmental stresses.  A few drops of this oil helps nourish skin and could even be useful for fighting acne.

For arthritis, skin and the stomach: It’s a good idea to drink grape juice, sweetened with a bit of natural honey.

  • Health and Beauty for your Eyes
    MORE IN THE JOY OF WELLNESS
    Health and Beauty for your Eyes

For the liver: grapes are one of the most widely used fruits for detoxifying the body and for cleansing the liver.  That’s why detox diets sometimes include eating fresh grapes for a few days.  This type of diet would ideally be performed under expert supervision.

Against stress:  Thanks to their antioxidants, grapes fight free radicals, releasing their effects against stress.  This fruit is recommended for people that create a lot of stress.

You can try one of these Grapes recipes

How to choose grapes

In order to choose the freshest grapes, you’ll need to evaluate their skin, which should be firm and have no marks on it.  Choose grapes that are juice, and that don’t look wrinkled.

The color could affect the sweetness.  Green grapes, for example, should be slightly yellow.  Red grapes should have a more uniform color, without being discolored at all, while black grapes should be fairly dark.

It’s best to eat your grapes while still fresh, or rather, as soon as you buy them.  If you are going to store them, you should do so in the fridge.  Grapes could ferment at room temperature, increasing their rate of deterioration.

Refrigerated grapes could last from 10 to 15 days, but it’s best to store them before washing them, in order to keep them longer.

Another way of eating grapes is to eat raisins.  Raisins are dehydrated grapes, which are full of energy and share many of the same properties as fresh grapes.  They are a rich source of vitamins and potassium, and are a good choice for athletes.

Contraindications

Grapes are an excellent fruit for almost everyone, but they should be consumed in moderation.  They have a laxative effect, so consuming too many grapes could cause diarrhea.

People that are allergic to compounds in grapes should also avoid them.  Allergic reactions could manifest as a stomach ache, vomiting, headaches, dry mouth, and other symptoms.

Regularly consuming grapes could also interfere with some pharmaceuticals, like those that affect the liver.  Medications prescribed for blood clotting could also be accentuated by consuming them.  If you are going to regularly eat grapes, and you are taking medications, it is important that you consult your physician.

They are a good source of carbohydrates, which also means sugars, which is why if you have diabetes, you should also consume them in moderation.

And lastly, if you suffer from kidney stones, it’s best not to eat too many.

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

(No Ratings Yet)

Loading...

About the author

By Dra. Loredana Lunadei, PhD

Dr. Lunadei is a specialist in dietetics, nutrition and healthy eating. She studied at the University of Milan where she obtained her degree and doctorate. This is her Linkedin.

Reader Interactions

You may also be interested

  • The properties of Royal Jelly The properties of Royal Jelly This food is rich in amino acids and micro nutrients that are extremely beneficial to [...]
  • Get Stronger, Healthier Nails with Natural Care Get Stronger, Healthier Nails with Natural Care While having beautiful nails, for some people, is simple part of their daily routine, other [...]
  • Gout: Causes, Natural Remedies, and more... Gout: Causes, Natural Remedies, and more... Gout is a condition characterized by an excessive production of uric acid, which crystallizes and [...]

You are here: The Joy of Wellness » Diets and Nutrition » Properties of Grapes: A Small Fruit with Big Benefits

All about Health and Beauty

  • Sleeping well, a vital issue Sleeping well, a vital issue Rest is fundamental in order to feel good and complete day to day obligations.  At [...]
  • Tell me what you smell like, and I'll tell you your personality: Perfumes and Essences for your personality Tell me what you smell like, and I'll tell you your personality: Perfumes and Essences for your personality If love is born at first sight, the smell is what invites people to get [...]
  • Health and Beauty for your Eyes Health and Beauty for your Eyes The eyes are the window into the soul.  A clear and healthy gaze is like [...]
  • How to Clean your Intestines: 5 Pieces of advice for doing so naturally How to Clean your Intestines: 5 Pieces of advice for doing so naturally Waste and toxin accumulation in the intestines can cause an individual to suffer from different [...]
  • Kidney Stones and the Citrus Diet Kidney Stones and the Citrus Diet Kidney stones are solid masses that form inside the kidneys due to and accumulation of [...]
Footer
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Copyright © 2023 · The Joy of Wellness
   
Disclaimer  About Us  Cookies Policy  Privacy Policy  Contact  Topics
The services, content and products on our website are for information purposes only. The Joy of Wellness does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment