Grapes: Healthy Snacks for Your Heart
The anti-inflammatory properties of grapes allow them to act as natural pain relievers. Grapes are an important part of an anti-inflammatory diet and have been shown to reduce joint inflammation.
Grapes are sweet, tasty and help to protect the heart. Purple, black, golden, red and green grapes are the most common types of grapes. Fresh grapes taste best if they are eaten within the first two or three days after purchase. Fresh grapes will keep for about two weeks in the fridge.
How Many Calories are in Grapes?
Grapes are a delicious and comparatively low-calorie food. One cup of raw Concord grapes contains 62 calories. 8 fl. ounces of Welch’s red grape juice contains 170 calories. That’s the number of calories you burn in less than 15 minutes of swimming.
Image via Wikipedia
Grape Nutritional Value
There are many advantages to eating grapes. Grapes contain flavonoids, which support heart health in many ways. Flavonoids strengthen capillary walls. Flavonoids are also powerful antioxidants.
Even though LDL is called bad cholesterol, it is actually benign and only does damage when it is oxidized by free radicals. One of the ways in which grapes support heart health is by protecting LDL cholesterol from free radical damage.
When LDL cholesterol is damaged by free radicals, it is more likely to cause damage to the arteries. The French consume a lot more grape products-such as wine-than people in some other parts of the world. Apparently this consumption of grapes helps protect them from the negative effects of a rich, high-fat diet.
The French eat 4 times the amount of butter and lard that Americans do, and have a higher blood pressure on average. French people also have higher cholesterol levels than Americans, yet the French are 2.5 times less likely to die of coronary heart disease.
Concord Grapes-Image via Wikipedia
Grapes also help to fight inflammation. Grape powder has been shown to reduce joint inflammation in rats. Resveratrol is one of the constituents of grapes which fight inflammation.
Resveratrol is found in grape seeds. Resveratrol is also found in grape skins and red wine.
Inflammation in the blood vessels can interfere with the action of insulin in the body. Reduced inflammation decreases the risk of developing insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes. More research is pointing to inflammation as a root cause of Type 2 diabetes.
Researchers at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland, found that inflammation instigated by macrophages (immune cells) caused insulin resistance, which then led to Type 2 diabetes. The same discovery has been made by a research team at the University of San Diego, California.
White Grapes-Image via Wikipedia
Eat Grapes for a Healthy Diet
- Grapes can be used to make a parfait, with ice cream or with yoghurt.
- Grapes can be mashed with potatoes or chicken and applesauce and given to babies.
- Grapes can be served with tuna in a tuna salad sandwich.
- Grape recipes include grapes in salads, such as chicken salad or shrimp salad.
- Thompson Seedless grapes are the grapes popularly used to make raisins. Raisins can be enjoyed by themselves or added to healthy recipes.
- Grapes can be served with a variety of cheeses.
- Grapes halves can be placed on top of cheese cake.
- Grapes can be used as a garnish, for desserts or main dishes.
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Liked it
LCM Linda | Nov 23, 2010 | Reply
I like eating green grapes the most. Glad to know grapes so good to health. I will eat more. Great share.
Sharif Ishnin | Nov 23, 2010 | Reply
I ♥ grapes.I should try your interesting suggestions above when serving grapes from now on.
Bloom Again | Nov 23, 2010 | Reply
Grapes are delicious and your article explains just how healthy they are. Great share.
drelayaraja | Nov 23, 2010 | Reply
Love grapes.. my son love it too… Should be vigilant on the amount of pesticides used….
K Kristie | Nov 23, 2010 | Reply
I love your serving suggestions. I should try those.
Anj M | Nov 23, 2010 | Reply
Nice
fagina | Nov 23, 2010 | Reply
May be I should include more grapes in my diet
Thanks for sharing:)
phani2help | Nov 23, 2010 | Reply
nice posts….. don’t miss my articles which i published today…. they are more informative
gaby7 | Nov 23, 2010 | Reply
Grapes are very healthy!
SharifaMcFarlane | Nov 23, 2010 | Reply
Those grapes are tasty Linda.
SharifaMcFarlane | Nov 23, 2010 | Reply
I guess the heart says it all Sharif ;-0
SharifaMcFarlane | Nov 23, 2010 | Reply
BloomAgain, there’s evidence that grapes can prolong life as well.
SharifaMcFarlane | Nov 23, 2010 | Reply
You’re right about that Dre. Some people try to stick to the organically grown grapes.
lillyrose | Nov 23, 2010 | Reply
This was great! I knew there was a reason I stuffed my kids with grapes!
jennifer eiffel01 | Nov 23, 2010 | Reply
Good news as I love grapes. I just don’t like the seeded ones. At this one restaurant we go to they have big grapes with seeds that you have to spit out. I think it’s disgusting to do that during dinner.
Starpisces | Nov 23, 2010 | Reply
good, something I love is healthy at last, hahaha.
deedaG50 | Nov 23, 2010 | Reply
love grapes. simply wonderful and delicious. thanks for the Info.
Jimmy Shilaho | Nov 23, 2010 | Reply
A very informative entry.
albert1jemi | Nov 23, 2010 | Reply
very informative
giritharanj | Nov 23, 2010 | Reply
nice share – gj
dino renaldo | Nov 23, 2010 | Reply
nice share
Luna Morena | Nov 24, 2010 | Reply
I didn´t know that about grapes, it´s wonderful.
clay hurtubise | Nov 25, 2010 | Reply
Grape post!
Thanks,
Clay
SharifaMcFarlane | Nov 26, 2010 | Reply
Hi Lisa.
Yes
SharifaMcFarlane | Nov 26, 2010 | Reply
I see what you mean Pattiann.
The seeded ones are healthier, maybe that’s why they serve those.
SharifaMcFarlane | Nov 26, 2010 | Reply
@Star
I am with you on that Star.
SharifaMcFarlane | Nov 26, 2010 | Reply
Grapes are great Deeda.
I am glad to hear that Leo.
SharifaMcFarlane | Nov 26, 2010 | Reply
Thanks Albert.
Thanks Girith.
Thanks Dino.
There are some more findings about grapes, but I don’t think there’s as much research to support them so I didn’t write about those yet.
SharifaMcFarlane | Nov 26, 2010 | Reply
Thanks Luna.
Clay, lol.
buenavida | Nov 26, 2010 | Reply
Yeah, grapes are amazing food, just a bit difficult to get organic grapes here in North. I am taking Tre from gnld.com. it is a concentration of grapes and other fruits and berries. Check and see the site and read about it !:)
margaridab | Nov 27, 2010 | Reply
I love grapes but I didn’t know they were so healthy!
SharifaMcFarlane | Nov 30, 2010 | Reply
Hi Buena. Good that you have a substitute. I know the GNLD products.
Margaridab, it’s always good to know something we enjoy is good for us, too.
yes me | Dec 1, 2010 | Reply
Grapes are great cheers
CA Johnson | Dec 1, 2010 | Reply
I like to eat grapes. I also like the seedless ones. Diabetes runs in my family so this is another reason to eat grapes.
Likha | Dec 2, 2010 | Reply
I always knew grapes were nutritious but didn’t know their nutritional use in exact detail. Thanks for this Sharif.
SharifaMcFarlane | Dec 2, 2010 | Reply
Grapes are great for an energy boost Yes Me
SharifaMcFarlane | Dec 2, 2010 | Reply
Hi Cheryl
It’s good when something that’s tasty helps our bodies.
SharifaMcFarlane | Dec 2, 2010 | Reply
You’re welcome Likha.
1hopefulman | Dec 2, 2010 | Reply
A grape article! Loved the pictures. Very appetizing! I eat grapes on a regular basis.
SharifaMcFarlane | Dec 3, 2010 | Reply
8Shei8 | Dec 4, 2010 | Reply
I have not eaten grapes for a while. I will go grocery shopping tomorrow. Thank you my friend
Raj the Tora | Dec 4, 2010 | Reply
I love grapes and thanks for adding the reasons to eat them
Francois Hagnere | Dec 6, 2010 | Reply
Another fabulous post on grapes. Your recipes are superb! Thank you Sharifa for the valuable info here.
SharifaMcFarlane | Dec 6, 2010 | Reply
Thank you my friend.
crisdiwata | Dec 7, 2010 | Reply
I always love grapes but never know of those many healthy benefits. I should have to eat more. Thanks.
SharifaMcFarlane | Dec 9, 2010 | Reply
Thanks Raj.
8She, good to see you around again.
SharifaMcFarlane | Dec 9, 2010 | Reply
Hi Cris
Glad you found it useful.
wonder | Dec 11, 2010 | Reply
A unique recipe.
SharifaMcFarlane | Dec 28, 2010 | Reply
jennifer eiffel01 | Mar 7, 2013 | Reply
Interesting the french have higher cholesterol but die less of heart disease because of grapes. I do not eat them as often as I should.
I also did not know that you need free radicals for ldl to do its bad work. Grat article overall
jennifer eiffel01 | Mar 7, 2013 | Reply
Interesting the french have higher cholesterol but die less of heart disease because of grapes. I do not eat them as often as I should.
I also did not know that you need free radicals for ldl to do its bad work. Grat article overall.