Grapes are a popular, healthy little snack that are easy to pack up, eat on the go, and they’re sweet like candy! Grown on vines and in bunches, grapes are now sold in many different forms. They can be bought with seeds or without, in either a red, green, or dark purple color, and are even sold either as a juice or jam! Same as any other fruit, the best way to enjoy grapes is in their natural state because this is how you’ll reap the most of their health benefits. The other thing that makes these grapes special is that after fermentation, they can be used to make wine! Oh, and they can be enjoyed as dried fruit, also known as raisins (but the wine tidbit is much cooler).
Grapes have been around for millions of years and enjoyed by people for centuries, especially because they are nutritional powerhouses. Even though this fruit is small, trust us when we say, it packs a mean punch when it comes to nutrition. Grapes are loaded with antioxidants that make them useful in protecting and maintaining a strong immune system, bones, kidney and heart function, as well as supporting a sharp mind and eyesight. Want to know more? Here’s a look at all the incredible health benefits of grapes…
1. Benefit Eye Health
Many of grapes benefits come from the fact that they contain antioxidants. When it comes to eye health, this is no different! Grapes contain lutein and zeaxanthin which help protect the eyes from damage from blue light. They also contain resveratrol which studies show could protect against glaucoma, cataract and diabetic eye disease.
A study published in the Journal of Nutrition examined mice who were fed a diet supplemented with grapes and those who were. The results showed that the mice who ate grapes had “fewer signs of damage to the retina and had better retinal function compared with mice who were not fed the fruit.” Another test-tube study found that resveratrol could “protect retinal cells in the human eye from ultraviolet A light,” writes Healthline. This could mean that eating grapes might help lower a person’s risk of developing age-related macular degeneration.
