Health Benefits of Grapes (Angoor)

About Grapes/Angoor

Grapes are the berry type and non-climacteric type fruit which can be eaten raw or its products like juice, raisins, wine, jam, extract from grape seed, jelly, vinegar, grape seed oil and etc. It was first cultivated in the Near East around 6,000 to 8,000 years ago. Grapes skin naturally has domesticated microorganisms like yeast which is the main reason of its alcoholic drinks like wine. Grapes wine was first started manufacturing around 8,000 years ago in the Georgia.

Grapes or Angoor grows in the big cluster belongs to the Vitaceae family and found in different colors like black, green, orange, crimson, purple, dark blue, yellow and light pink. Anthocyanins (polyphenols) found in the grapes are mainly responsible for the color of grapes.

Grapes are universally famous as the Queen of Fruits which are categorized in three main variants specially based on color such as Red Grapes (simple flavour), Green Grapes (most sweetest) and Black or Blue Grapes (taste depends on the deepness of color).

BENEFITS OF GRAPES/ANGOOR

As grapes are widely known as the Queen of Fruits, they have great nutritional health benefits and nourish the human beings. All the possible benefits of the grapes i have mentioned below:

Cures Migraine

• Grapes are the useful natural resources loaded with lots of vitamins, minerals and other nutrient, greatly used as a home remedy for curing the migraine. Drinking ripe grapes juice in the morning without diluting it with water helps in curing the migraine.

Cures Alzheimer’s Disease

• One of the chemicals like resveratrol found in the grapes is very helpful in reducing the amyloidal-beta peptides levels in the patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Thus it cures the Alzheimer’s disease and enhances the brain health as well as reduces the occurrence of various neuro-degenerative diseases.

Cures Indigestion

• Grapes are very helpful in curing the indigestion by preventing from dyspepsia and stomach irritation.

Reduces Risk of Breast Cancer

• Angoor is a great natural remedy (especially purple coloured grapes) which reduces the risk of breast cancer when eaten on daily basis.

Maintains Eye Vision and Eye Health

• Grapes are very good remedy to maintain the eye vision and eye health as it contains the high amount of the lutein and zeaxanthin. It also prevents from the age related macular degeneration.

Lowers Blood Cholesterol Level

• Pterostilbene, a compound found in the grapes, is responsible to lower the blood cholesterol level.

Treats Kidney Disorders

• Grapes are very helpful in treating the kidney disorders by reducing the uric acid acidity and eliminating this acid from the body.

Cures Asthma

• Grapes are therapeutically very effective in curing the asthma by increasing the lungs moisture.

Prevents from Infection

• Red grapes have antibacterial and antiviral property which enhances the body capability to get protected from the various infections (poliovirus, herpes simplex virus and etc).

Treats Chronic Constipation

• Grapes are very effective in treating the chronic constipation as it has laxative property because of its richness in the sugar, polyose and organic acid.

Energizes Body

• Grapes are very beneficial in treating the fatigue, macular degeneration, kidney disorders and prevent from the cataracts.

Slows Down Ageing Process

• Their high flavonoids content act as powerful antioxidants which reduces the damage by free radicals thus slows down the aging process.

Strengthens Bones

• Naturally grapes are magnificent source of micro-nutrients such as the manganese, copper, iron which enhances the bone formation and strengthens the bones.

Prevents from Osteoporosis

• Regular intake of grapes prevents from the occurrence of age-related osteoporosis.

Rich Source of Manganese

• Manganese is a very important mineral which enhances the protein metabolism, collagen formation as well as healthy nervous system functioning.

Remedy for Healthy Heart

• Grapes are very good natural remedy used to get prevented from the heart diseases as it enhances the blood levels of nitric oxide which assists in the blood clots prevention, thus it reduces the risk of heart attacks.

Keeps Blood Vessels Healthy

• Antioxidants (resveratrol and quercetin) found in the grapes prevent the bad cholesterol oxidation thus aids in preventing the coronary diseases by protecting the blood vessels from getting blocked.

Removes Toxins from Blood

• Antioxidant flavonoids found in the grapes also reduces the platelet clumping as well as filters out the toxins from blood.

Prevents from Anemia

• Eating grapes regularly maintains the iron and mineral levels in the body thus prevents from the anaemia or other problems caused by the lack of iron.

Prevent Cholesterol Absorption

• Saponins, found in the grape’s skin, prevent the cholesterol absorption by getting binded with it.

Boosts Body Immunity

• As grapes are packed with the flavonoids, minerals, vitamins C, K, A, it boosts the immune system.

Inhibits Cancer Causing Agents

• Grapes have anti cancer properties and prevents from the colorectal and breast cancer due to the availability of anthocyanins and pro-anthocyanidins which inhibits the cancer causing agents.

Prevents from Food Borne Illness

• Grapes have anti-microbial properties which prevent from the microbes related problems such as the food borne illness.

Benefits of Grapes on Skin

Maintains Good Skin Health

• Grapes are also famous as the natural skincare remedy as they are full with the phytochemicals as well as phytonutrients which have lots of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Its high vitamin C level is the vital source of good skin health.

Acts as Sunscreen

• It protects the skin against the sunburns. Fleshy part and seed extract of grapes has proanthocyanidins and resveratrol (influential antioxidants) which acts as a sunscreen and prevents the skin from harmful ultraviolet radiation.

Minimizes Cells Damage

• Regular consumption of angoor minimizes the skin cells damage by continuous repairing.

Reduces Wrinkles and Dark Spots

• Eating grapes regularly prevents from the early ageing by protecting from the free radicals because of its antioxidants nature. It reduces the occurrence of wrinkles and dark spots on the skin. It tones up the skin and makes it even.

Rich Source of Vitamin E

• Grapes seed extracts acts as a skin softener, exfoliant and moisturizer because of its richness in vitamin E. It removes the dead skin cells and makes it healthier and smoother ever before.

Rejuvenates Skin

• Some of the organic acids found in the grapes have ability to rejuvenate the skin cells. It has good level of vitamin C which forms more collagen which strengthens and firms the skin.

Benefits of Green Grapes

Cures Uneven Skin Tones

• Green grapes are very helpful in curing the uneven skin tones if its juice is applied on the skin.

Repairs Damage

• Green grapes are also helpful in reducing the acne scars from the skin. Vitamin C available in the grapes repairs the scar tissues and ligaments.

Makes Skin Youthful and Radiant

• Green grapes haste up the metabolism process as well as induce the perspiration which makes the youthful and radiant.

Benefits of Grapes and Grape Seeds for Hair

Eliminates Hair Problems

• Grapes are very helpful in eliminating the hair problems such as the dandruff, split ends, premature greying, hair loss and etc due to any reason like unhealthy lifestyle or exposure to sunlight or pollution.

Promotes Hair Growth

• Regular consumption of the grapes encourages healthy hair growth because of its antioxidants nature.

Improves Blood Circulation

• It enhances the blood circulation to the scalp and thus encourages the hair growth.

Makes Hair Soft and Shiny

• Grape seed oil gets easily absorbed on the scalp and makes the hair soft, shiny and healthy.

Fights Dermatitis and Itchy Scalp

• Regular use of grape seed oil on the scalp fights with seborrheic dermatitis and itchy scalp.

Strengthens Hair Follicles

• Grape seed oil is a natural treatment to the hair loss because of its vitamin E and linoleic acid availability which strengthens the hair follicles and makes it strong and healthy.

Treats Split Ends and Breakage

• Grape seed oil is also helpful in treating the split ends, brittleness and hair breakage and etc.

Used as Aromatherapy

• Grape seed oil is used as an aromatherapy as it has emollient properties. It is non-greasy in nature and gets absorbed easily without any deposit on the scalp.

Prevents from Cancer

• Grape seed extract slows down the cancer cell growth as it triggers the death of leukaemia cells.

Promotes Liver Detoxification

• Grape seed extracts helps in the liver detoxification to remove all the toxins related to the radiation induced poisons or chemotherapy.

Strengthens Immunity

• Grape seed extracts nourishes and boosts the immune system (Th1 and Th2 systems).

Benefits of Raisins

Loaded with Healthy Nutrients

• Raisins are the dried grapes which have their own nutritional benefits and prevents from many disorders like anaemia, constipation, fever, acidosis, sexual dysfunction and etc.

Promotes Weight Gain

• It helps people gaining weight rapidly.

Cures Dizziness

• Eating some roasted raisins (using ghee) with sendha namak on daily basis helps in curing dizziness problem.

Benefits of Grapes Juice

Controls Blood Sugar

• Grapes come under the category of low glycemic index food (GI value 43 to 53) which is useful in controlling the blood sugar.

Regulates Insulin Secretion

• Regular intake of the grape juice or grape extracts helps in the better blood sugar equilibrium and better insulin regulation.

Promotes Longevity

• Several phytonutrients (resveratrol) available in the grape juice plays a great role in the longevity. These phytonutrients boosts the expression of longevity related genes like Fox0s, SirT1s and PBEFs.

Rich Source of Phytonutrients

• Grapes and grapes juice are the rich source of the phytonutrients such as stilbenes, piceatannol, kaempferol, pterostilbene, resveratrol, flavanols, epicatechins, catechins, myricetin, phenolic acids, procyanidins, proanthocyanidins, viniferones, petunidin, quercetin, isorhamnetin, caffeic acid, coumaric acid, ferulic acid, zeaxanthin, gallic acid, lutein, carotenoids, beta-carotene and etc which have their own health benefits.

Keeps all Body Systems Healthy

• Grapes juice is very beneficial in making healthy all the body system like immune system, blood sugar regulating system, cardiovascular system, inflammatory system, respiratory system, nervous system, digestive system and etc.
• Grapes juice helps in preventing the oxygen-related enzymes to become overactive.
• Grapes juice also increases the glutathione levels in blood which is very significant antioxidant nutrient.

Prevents from Damage

• Grapes juice helps in protecting the cell membranes damage by free radical as well as lowers the oxygen reactive molecules level in the blood.

Lessens Fat Oxidation

• Grapes juice also lessens the fat oxidation means lipid peroxidation.

Benefits of Black Grapes

Balances Blood Sugar and Insulin Secretion

• Black grapes also come under the low glycemic index foods which promotes the better blood sugar balance and insulin regulation.

Reduces Risk of Heart Disorders

• Black grapes are also involved in reducing the heart diseases risk as it reduces and regulates the blood cholesterol levels.

Improves Memory Power

• It enhances the brain functioning, immunity power, memory power and concentration power. Thus regular consumption of the black grape juice decreases the occurrence of the brain diseases such as the Alzheimer disease.

Prevents from Degenerative Diseases

• It slows down the oxidization of cells and molecules as it is rich in the phytonutrients thus prevents from the degenerative conditions including cancer.

Keeps Blood Vessels Healthy

• It also lessens the danger of blood clot formation in the blood vessels thus aids in the maintaining the cardiovascular system healthy.

Protects from Osteoporosis

• Black dried grapes (raisins) protects from the osteoporosis because of its boron content.

Prevents Vision Loss

• It also protects the eye from the vision loss.

Lessens Cancer Risk

• Black seedless grapes have ability to lessen the cancer risks due to their polyphenols content.

Benefits of Grapes for Men

Improves Better Blood Flow

• Grapes have lot of health benefit for the men suffering from the metabolic syndrome. Grapes have ability to lower the blood pressure and better blood flow thus aids in the metabolic syndrome.

Prevents from Chronic Diseases

• Eating grapes also lowers the risk of some chronic diseases like prostate cancer, stroke, dementia or diabetes.

Prevents from Prostate Gland Problems

• Drinking the grapes juice regularly helps in reducing the risk of prostate problems.

Benefits of Grapes for Kids

Loaded with Healthy Nutritional Value

• Grapes have more healthy nutritional value for the kids. Kids can easily get all the benefits of the vitamins and minerals by eating grapes.

Fulfills Daily Requirement of Nutrients

• Children need more energy, more vitamins and minerals to fulfil their daily requirement as they are growing which can be achieved by eating grapes.
• Eating a cup of grapes gives your kid around 16.3 mg of the vitamin C whereas kids require almost 15 to 45 mg of vitamin C every day.

Repairs Body Tissues

• Vitamin C is a very crucial nutrient essential for the healthy growth and development of children including growth and repair of the body tissues.

Fulfills Potassium Need

• Kids need more potassium for the well functioning of the heart and healthy digestion. They need around 1,000 to 2,000 mg of potassium daily, so grapes play a great role in fulfilling the potassium need among kids.

Contributes to Healthy Bone Development

• Grapes are also the excellent source of calcium which provides around 15 mg of calcium per serving whereas children need around 500 to 1,300 mg of calcium per day. Calcium contributes to the healthy bone and tooth development.

Benefits of Grapes in Pregnancy

Provides Nourishment to Mother and Baby

• It is considered that grapes are the good friend of the pregnant women. Pregnant women eating grapes has her baby with bright eyes as grapes have lot of vitamin A as well as flavonol compound.

Keeps Body Healthy all through Pregnancy

• Grapes skin and its seeds contain tannin compounds, lecithin, vanilla, phlobaphene and essential fat oil which are good for the pregnant women.

Controls Metabolism

• Grapes have lot of nutrients and vitamin B which helps in controlling the metabolism rate in pregnant women.

Prevents Baby from Birth Defects

• Eating grapes by the pregnant women prevents her baby from getting handicapped nerve pipe, defects of spine, Down syndrome, brain problem or cleft lip as grapes have good folates content which is very essential to prevent the birth defects in unborn baby.

Contributes Nervous System Development in Baby

• Grape juice contains Kali and sodium which are very necessary to develop nerve system in children.

Improves Fetus Genes

• Eating grapes by the pregnant women helps in improving the fetus genes.

Reduces Cramps

• Magnesium content found in the grapes helps the pregnant women in reducing the cramp.

Improves Digestion

• Grapes have high fibres content which improves the digestive system in the pregnant women.

Reduces Stress Level

• High level of the vitamin E and K helps in blood congeal during labour as well as reduces the stress level in pregnant women.

Prevents from Infection

• Antioxidants (anthocyanins, linalol, nerol, flavon, geraniol, tannin) found in the grapes increases the immunity power thus prevents from the infection to the pregnant women.

Protects from Hypertension

• Resveratrol found in the grapes controls the cholesterol level during pregnancy so helps the pregnant women from hypertension.

Prevents from Bone Problems

• Regular consumption of the grapes by the pregnant women prevents her from the osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, arthritis, asthma as grapes are good anti-inflammatory agent.
• Pregnant women need more calcium to maintain the health of bones, joints and teeth.

Prevents from Major Problems

• Grapes prevent the pregnant women from kidney stone, help in liver detoxification as well as cure constipation.
• Its resveratrol content prevents the pregnant women from the nerve diseases.

Prevents from Anemia

• Folate content of the grapes prevents the pregnant women from megaloblastic anaemia, reduces the risk of preeclampsia, eclampsia, bleeding and infection.

Regularizes Functioning of Major Organs

• Grapes provide nourishment to the major organs like liver and kidneys, strengthen the bones and muscles during pregnancy.

Instant Energy Booster

• Grape juice provides instant energy by fighting with fatigue during the time of delivery.

Relieves Inflammation

• As grapes are the great anti-inflammatory agents, they provide relief from the gout, rheumatism, asthma and etc.

Eliminates Kidney Stones

• Grapes are very good cleanser, thus helps in eliminating kidney stones by improving the bile and urine flow in the expecting mother.

Benefits of Grape Leaves

Cures Uterine Bleeding

• Leaves of the grapes are very effective in curing the uterine bleeding from womb during pregnancy.

Treats Chronic Inflammations

• Grape leaves have antioxidant and mild anti-inflammatory properties which helps in treating chronic inflammations in heart diseases, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, various gastrointestinal diseases, Crohn’s disease.

Treats Diabetic Disorders

• It contains low glycemic value and high nutrients value which helps in treating various diabetic disorders to maintain blood-sugar level.

Reduces Edema

• Grape leaves extract helps in reducing edema in many patients suffering from chronic venous insufficiency.

Treats Common Health Disorders

• Grape leaves have been used for years to treat common health disorders like hepatitis, rheumatism, headaches, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fever, throat infection, excess vaginal discharge, sore breasts, heavy menstrual bleeding, uterine bleeding, canker sores and etc.

Nutritional Benefits of Red or Green Grapes/Angoor per 100 g

(Source: USDA Nutrient Database)

Energy: 69 kcal

Carbohydrate: 18.1 g

Sugar: 15.48 g

Dietary fibre: 0.9 g

Fat: 0.16 g

Protein: 0.72 g

Vitamins

Thiamine (B1): 0.069 mg

Riboflavin (B2): 0.07 mg

Niacin (B3): 0.188 mg

Pantothenic acid (B5): 0.05 mg

Vitamin B6: 0.086 mg

Vitamin C: 3.2 mg

Vitamin E: 0.19 mg

Vitamin K: 14.6 μg

Vitamin A: 66 IU

Folate (B9): 2 μg

Choline: 5.6 mg

Minerals

Calcium: 10 mg

Phosphorus: 20 mg

Copper: 0.127 mg

Iron: 0.36 mg

Magnesium: 7 mg

Manganese: 0.071 mg

Zinc: 0.07 mg

Fluoride: 7.8 µg

Electrolytes

Potassium: 191 mg

Sodium: 2 mg

Phytonutrients

Carotene-α: 1 µg

Carotene-ß: 39 µg

Crypto-xanthin-ß: 0 µg

Lutein-zeaxanthin: 72 µg

Selection and Storage of Grapes

Always select fresh grapes which are fleshy, blameless, even colored and firm while buying it. First of all shake the bunch of grapes by holding its stem to search for the affected ones. Fresh grapes (attached firmly to the stem) can be stored for long time. Grapes have white coating which protects it from getting dry, fungus or early decay.

Avoid buying the soft or wrinkled skin grapes as they may get early decay. Always buy the organic grapes as they are free from the harmful pesticides. Grapes are stored very safely to avoid the early damage. Unwashed grapes can be kept in the airtight container in the refrigerator for a week long. It should be removed from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to eating.

How to Enjoy the Grapes

Raw grapes can be added in the diet as a nutritious breakfast, pastas, fish, snacks, sweet potato, chicken, fruit salads, pies or etc. It can also be taken as a juice or other bubbly drinks including the ice-creams. Grapes are also used for making pickles, cakes or desserts, sauces and etc.

Difference between Green and Black Grapes

The major difference in both of them is the skin color however dark color grapes have higher anti-oxidant property in comparison to the lighter ones. Black grapes are more nutritious than other varieties of grapes. Black grapes have some special health benefits as they have no cyanosis.

Disadvantages and Side Effects of Grapes

• Grapes can cause some side effects in the person such as some person may suffer from the grape allergy.
• Eating too many grapes can cause constipation, headaches or back pain.
• Eating more grapes whether it is dried grapes, sultanas, raisins and etc may cause diarrhoea and allergic reactions.
• Some people may feel other side effects such as headache, vomiting, cough, stomach upset, nausea, indigestion, sore throat, dry mouth, infections, muscular problems and etc.
• Eating too many grapes may affect the body metabolism. It can also cause tooth decay, obesity because of its richness in carbohydrates, calcium, iron, vitamin A, C.

Disadvantages of Seedless Grapes

• Seedless grapes are genetically modified so, the utilization of genetically modified grapes may develop allergies.
• Genetically modified grapes may decrease the antibiotics effectiveness and irretrievable health problems.

Disadvantages of Grapes during Pregnancy and Breast Feeding

• Eating so many grapes during the pregnancy or breast feeding may cause some allergies.
• Eating more grapes can cause digestion difficulty and constipation because of its skin.
• Eating more grapes can cause allergy in pregnant women like coughing, bellyache, dry throat, vomiting, sore throat, headache and etc.
• Fat pregnant women having stomach ulcer, enteritis, diarrhoea, diabetes, tooth decay and etc should avoid eating grapes and grapes juice.
• Eating grapes during pregnancy may cause toxicity in the expectant mother because of the resveratrol availability in grapes.
• Black grapes skin is indigestible by in pregnant woman. They should avoid eating black grapes.
• Acidity grapes should also be avoided by the pregnant women as they are prone to heartburn.
• Pregnant women should avoid eating grapes with empty stomach as they suffer from acid reflux.

Disadvantages of Grapes during Diabetes

• The person suffering from the diabetes should eat low fat and high fibre diet.
• As grapes are sugary and high calories diet which are banned during diabetes, thus avoid eating grapes more than the limit.

Disadvantages of Grapes Juice

• Drinking ready made grape juice from the market should be avoided as it has some preservatives which have harmful effects to the health.

How Much Grapes Should You Eat A Day

Grapes can be eaten around one cup means 15-20 grapes on daily basis to avoid the harmful effects of the grapes overeating. It can be eaten in the fruit salad or enjoyed as a snack in between the meals. Grapes have lot of health benefits if eaten in the limit however it also has some harmful health effects when eaten over limit.