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Grapes are a type of fruit that grow in clusters  and are found in different colors such as crimson, black, dark blue, yellow, green, orange, and pink. "White" grapes are actually green in color, and are evolutionarily derived from the purple grape. The purple color of grapes is due to the presence of anthocyanins contained in it.  Dried grapes are called raisins.

 

• Grapes are 65-85% water, 10-33% sugar (glucose and fructose),
• phlobaphene, gallic acid, silicic acid, quercetin, anin, glucosides -
• mono delphinidin and delphinidin, fruit acids, like apple acid,
• salicylic acid, phosphoric acid, lemon acid, amber acid, formic acid
• and a little bit of oxalic acid, pectins, tannic substances, salts of
• potassium, magnesium, calcium, manganese, cobalt, iron and vitamins B1, B2,B6, B12, K, folic acid and enzymes.

 

Muscadine grape Vines

 Muscadine grape vines are a grapevine species native to the southeastern United States. Muscadine grapes are rich sources of polyphenols and other nutrients studied for their potential health benefits.  Muscadine grapes are notable for their highly pigmented  thick skins  and  the content of polyphenols in it  is known to be high.

 

Medicinal Properties of Grapes

• Grapes are considered as body coolants and increase the moistness of body tissues.
• Grapes act as a brain tonic and boosts memory power.It is beneficial in conditions like thirst, constipation, digestive disorders, jaundice, gout and allergies.
• Grapes  act as a cardiac tonic. They strengthen the muscles of the heart and increase the level of hemoglobin.  It also helps to strengthen lungs.
• Grapes are recommended in burning micturition and cystitis because it acts as diuretics and increases the frequency and volume of urine. It also soothes the inner layers of the bladder.
• Grapes help to reduce burning sensation of skin and skin allergies It boosts the immunity of skin  and help to prevent various skin diseases.
• Generally grapes  are nutrient rich fruits and so they help to increase body bulk.

 

Resveratrol and Red Vine Health Benefits

The polyphenol antioxidant resveratrol is produced by many plants and it is found among grape varieties in wide amounts. It is a  phytochemical and its benefits have been positively linked to many health benefits. Several in vitro studies have revealed the effectiveness of resveratrol in various diseases such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, obesity, inflammatory, neurodegenerative, and age‐related diseases. 

Resveratrol is found primarily in the skin and seeds of grapes. Fresh grape skin contains about 50 to 100 micrograms of resveratrol per gram. Red wine typically contains between 0.2 and 5.8 mg/L, depending on a range of factors, while white wine has much less. . This is because most of the resveratrol in grapes is located in the skin of the grape, and red wine is fermented with the skins of the grape included, allowing the wine to absorb it; by contrast, white wine is fermented after the skins have been removed.

Resveratrol has anti fungal and other defensive properties . It can inhibit oxidation of low-density lipoproteins and aggregation of platelets and  has anti-aging properties.

 

Free Radical Biology and Medicine Study

Results from a new study published in Free Radical Biology and Medicine suggest that eating grapes can slow or prevent age related blindness. The antioxidant actions of grapes are believed to be responsible for these protective effects.

"The protective effect of the grapes in this study was remarkable, offering a benefit for vision at old age even if grapes were consumed only at young age," said principal investigator Silvia Finnemann, PhD, Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University in New York.

Results from her study suggest that age-related vision loss is a result of cumulative, oxidative damage over time. "A lifelong diet enriched in natural antioxidants, such as those in grapes, appears to be directly beneficial for RPE and retinal health and function."

Age-related macular degeneration is a progressive eye condition, leading to the deterioration of the center of the retina, called the macula. It is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly. Aging of the retina is associated with increased levels of oxidative damage, and oxidative stress is thought to play a pivotal role in the development of AMD.

 

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