These sweet favourites have unexpected health benefits, says Veronika Prošek Charvátová
Grapes are native to the Northern Hemisphere – some species come from the Mediterranean, some from Asia and many from North America. Dozens of species have been cultivated for food and wine-making for millennia.
The grapes you eat fresh are known as table grapes, have a thin skin and may or may not have small seeds. The grapes used to make wine are smaller, have thicker skins and larger seeds. Raisins, sultanas and currants are all simply dried grapes of various colours and sizes.
Grape superpowers
There’s a huge variety of table grapes and while their appearance may vary, their nutritional qualities are similar. The only exception is antioxidants where the old rule applies – the darker the grape colour, the more antioxidants it has. These health-boosting compounds are concentrated mainly in the skin, so while eating grapes supplies plentiful amounts, drinking grape juice does not.
All grape varieties contain antioxidants called polyphenols, which include a wide variety of natural compounds that strengthen our defences against disease, wear-and-tear damage and environmental pollution. Some antioxidants give grapes their vibrant colours and these are called anthocyanins – black and purple grapes have the most, followed by red grapes. Anthocyanins have anti-diabetic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects, and they help to lower your risk of heart disease. Green grapes have mainly flavanols, which are antioxidants with anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties and may also help to reduce your risk of cancer.
You may have heard of the antioxidant resveratrol. It is a type of polyphenol found in grape skins of all colours and is produced by a number of other plants to fight off bacteria and fungi. The amount in grapes depends much more on growing conditions than on the particular colour of grape. People tend to associate resveratrol with red wine, and it’s true that it’s a rich source, but only because red wine is made by fermenting grapes with skins, while white wine is made from the grape pulp only – the skins are removed before fermenting.
Nevertheless, all table grapes contain this powerful antioxidant, which may help to support your immune system, reduce your risk of certain cancers and lower your chances of developing heart disease.
Grape nutrients
