Grapes have been cultivated for more than 5,000 years, according to Palomar College. Red seedless table grapes not only make for a healthful snack, they are tasty additions to smoothies, salads and desserts. Include red seedless grapes, technically classified as botanical berries, in your meal plan to give your diet a nutrient boost.
Nutritional Basics
Red grapes are a healthy choice for people who are looking to cut calories or reduce fat. Each 1-cup serving contains only 62 calories and less than 1 gram of fat. A cup of red grapes also provides you with a small amount of protein -- 0.58 grams; 15.78 grams of carbohydrate, which is approximately 5 percent of the daily values set by the FDA based on a 2,000-calorie diet; and 0.8 grams of fiber, which is about 3 percent of the DV set by the FDA.
Vital Vitamin K
Vitamin K, a fat-soluble vitamin, is stored in you body's fat tissues and liver. It's essential for proper blood clotting and plays a vital role in the prevention of osteoporosis, because it aids calcium in bone development and health. Although vitamin K deficiency is rare, people taking antibiotics may experience a mild deficiency, which can lead to excessive bleeding. Each 1-cup serving of red grapes contains nearly 18 percent of the DV set by the FDA.
Fights Age-Related Diseases
Resveratrol, a substance found in grapes, is linked to protection against certain diseases. These include type 2 diabetes, cancer and heart disease, all conditions that typically affect people as they get older. An article published in "Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences" in July 2013 reported evidence of resveratrol's potential effectiveness as a treatment for cardiovascular diseases and some cancers.
Antioxidant Power
Consuming red grapes provides your body with antioxidants -- powerful substances that protect your body against free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can damage cells. A study published in "BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine" in July 2013 revealed that red grapes may prevent oxidative damage because they contain antioxidants and antiglycation. Glycation is a protein cross-linking process that leads to harmful consequences, which may contribute to the development of many age-related diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune diseases, cancer and Alzheimer's disease.
References: www.livestrong.com
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Grapes, Raw
- Inhibition of Advanced Glycation End Products by Red Grape Skin Extract and Its Antioxidant Activity
- A Mini-Review: Glycation and Protein Cross-linking
- USDA: Guidance for Industry: A Food Labeling Guide
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vitamin K
- Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences: Resveratrol in Mammals: Effects on Aging Biomarkers, Age-Related Diseases, and Life Span
- Palomar Community College: Wayne's Word: Grape Family (Vitaceae)
- Planet Science: Make Your Own Raisins
- Grapes From California: Top 21 Ways to Use Grapes from California
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: National Institutes of Health: How Resveratrol May Fight Aging