Oddly enough, grapes not only provide health benefits, but also have contraindications and side effects that should be known. Next, let’s look at grapes from a botanical point of view and then we will analyze these aspects:
The grapevine (Vitis vinifera) belongs to the Vitidaceae family, which includes around 17 genera and 1000 species, most of them tropical or subtropical climbers.
The Vitis genus contains more than 60 species distributed throughout the world, but particularly in America and Asia, and it is the only one in the Vitidaceae family that produces edible berries.
The plant of the grape it is a woody, perennial vine that can grow up to 115 ft (35 m) long in the wild, but when cultivated it usually reduces by pruning back annually to 3-10 ft (1-3 m). Its leaves are slender, circular to oval, and two to nine inches (5-23 cm) wide. It does form dense clusters of inconspicuous, greenish to red flowers.
The berries of this vine, widely known as grapes, grow in large clusters and are round in shape. Depending on the variety, its color can be green, yellow, red or purplish-black.
Historic information Foragers and early farmers have harvested grapes from wild vines since Neolithic times, and records of wine storage date back 7,000 years to the Sumerian civilization, now present-day Iran.
Historians place the first cultivation and distribution of the vine between 3500 – 3000 BC in south central Europe. The practice soon found its way to ancient Greece, where the fruit of the plant was frequently fermented into wine for religious and social occasions. From there, winemaking became popular among Etruscan and later Roman societies.
Middle Eastern cultures also favored the grape until the seventh century CE, when Islam became the religious majority, although wine still plays a key role in traditional Christian ceremonies. European colonization further extended its growth, and today it contributes to all major agricultural economies.
Economic data The grape has been a fundamental economic crop for thousands of years and continues to fuel the industry around the world. More than 69 million tons of grapes were harvested worldwide in 2011, and the production of came alone generated an estimated value of $33 billion dollars.
France, Italy and Spain lead the European market, with the United States close behind, and also benefit from the commercially popular fruit juice industry.
Interestingly, however, China produces the most grapes per year at 9 million tons, despite a weaker cultural link to the fruit.
Other uses
Mouthwash. Grape juice has been endorsed as mouthwash and teeth whitener since the 17th century.
Beverage Chilling Fresh grapes are also sometimes frozen as a substitute for ice cubes, chilling wine without danger of dilution.
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Health benefits of grapes
Grape is one of the most widely used and well-researched medicinal herbs. Thousands of studies have been conducted on its active compounds, and the various parts of the vine plant have traditionally been used to:
Promote cardiovascular health Eating the fruit can improve circulation and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Delay aging processes. This is due to resveratrol from fruits, which is a strong antioxidant.
Additionally, grape leaves have traditionally been used for:
Disinfect skin wounds. The leaves of the vine have anti-inflammatory properties.
Treat diarrhea and digestive infections. The grape leaves work as an astringent and can help stop the diarrhea.
Traditional herbal medicine also makes good use of the grape plant, with European folk traditions using the vine’s sap to cure skin and eye conditions. Its leaves have found use in stopping bleeding, pain and inflammation of the hemorrhoids.
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How does it work
Grapes contain various antioxidants, fibrous pectin, and tannins that bind proteins and have strong immunoprotective actions.
Resveratrol is a naturally occurring compound found in large amounts in the skin of deep purple grapes and has a protective effect on brain function, heart health, and heart health. immune system. Due to its proven anti-aging effect, resveratrol is a popular ingredient in skin care products.
Discover the benefits of grapes for skin and hair
Anthocyanins, on the other hand, are tannins that not only give purple grapes their dark hue, but also protect the body from free radical damage, helping to reduce inflammation and prevent degenerative diseases.
The cardioprotective properties are also present in the olive tree and the Sacha Inchiwhile cranberry and cabbage may provide similar antioxidant benefits.
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Contraindications and side effects
May cause allergic reactions in some people Regular and moderate consumption of grapes is not bad at all and provides many health benefits. However, there are some people who are allergic to grapes and they should stay away from grapes.
In some people, even touching grapes can trigger allergic reactions. Allergic reactions (in some individuals) is one of the more serious (but extremely rare) side effects of grapes. Some of the common grape allergy symptoms include hives, red patches, difficulty breathing and sneezing.
In the worst case, the allergic person may go into anaphylactic shock shortly after consuming grapes. Another important point is that if someone shows symptoms of allergic reactions to grapes, then they do not need to be allergic to grapes.
There are high chances that he/she is allergic to the pesticides sprayed on the grapes and not the grapes themselves. The best way to clear up this confusion is to perform an allergen test which will determine the actual cause of the allergy.
May promote weight gain Regular consumption of grapes is very effective in weight control and helps to lose weight due to its low caloric content.
A cup of grapes contains only 100 calories, which means you can eat them without worrying about calories. However, this advantage of the grape soon turns out to be a disadvantage. This is because the grapes are small and bitten. So it’s easy to lose track of how many grapes we’ve eaten and end up eating two or even three times.
Doing the same thing on a regular basis for an extended period of time can cause the extra calories to add up and gain weight. The best way to avoid this situation is to use grapes in a limited quantity. Instead of sitting down with the whole group, put a limited number of grapes in a bowl and enjoy.
Grapes are also a good source of dietary fiber, which means that they make our stomach feel fuller for a long time and decrease our need to eat again and again.
This also helps in weight control, but again, it is important to make sure that we do not eat too much of them, otherwise, we will get more calories which will later lead to weight gain.
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