Try a Multi-Health Package of Grapes

Grapes belong to the genus Vitis which grows on perennial and deciduous woody vines. Grapes can be consumed either raw or may be used in making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, and grape seed oil. They can also be used in some kinds of confectionery items. The fruits are typically ellipsoid in shape. The cultivation of the purple grapes began in southern Turkey. Yeast is the most common micro-organism typically associated with the skin of grapes and so they are used in making alcoholic beverages like wines. Native purple grapes are now cultivated all across Europe and North America. In the olden time s purple grapes were cultivated in California and Spain where they were used to prevent scurvy.


Grapes grow in clusters of 15-300 and may be crimson, black, dark blue, yellow, green, orange, and pink in colouration. It is believed that all these different coloured grapes have originated from the purple grapes. Mutations in two regulatory genes of the white grapes turn off the production of anthocyanins which are responsible for the purple colour of grapes. Anthocyanins and other chemicals are largely responsible for different shades of purple in the red wines. Majority of the cultivated varieties of grapes belong to Europe and minor ones dwell in America.

According to a report of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) about 75,866 square kilometers area of the whole world is under grape cultivation of which 71% is attributed to wine production, 27% is consumed as fresh fruit and the remaining 2% is used as dried fruit. The commercially cultivated grapes can be placed either under the category of table grapes or wine grapes depending upon the manner of their consumption. As the name indicates raw grapes are consumed as fresh while the wine grapes are used for the production of wine. Table grapes are generally large in size, lack seed and have a relatively thin skin. Wine grapes are small with seeds and a thicker skin. Wine grapes are sweet in taste and at the time of harvest contain 24% of sugars by weight. The commercially produced 100% grape juice from the table grapes contains 15% of sugars by weight.

The seeds present in grapes are although contain some nutrients but some consumers prefer to chose seedless grapes. Grapes are generally propagated by cuttings so lack of seeds does not pose any problem for reproduction. In most parts of Europe the dried grapes are known as raisins. In France dried grapes are known as currants and in Turkey they are known as sultana. It is very clearly known that the French people consume higher levels of fat but still they suffer from least proportion of cardiovascular diseases. This process is known as French Paradox. This is because of the consumption of higher amounts of grape wine. Grape wine also reduces platelet aggregation and vasodilation. Grape contains phytochemicals known as resveratrol which inhibits any cancer, heart disease, degenerative nerve disease, viral infections and mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease.

Studies have shown that grape seed contains a number of antioxidant properties because of the presence of chemicals known as oligomeric proanthocyanidins. They also contain tannins, polyphenols, polyunsaturated fatty acids which reduce the risks of cancer and heart disease. Grape seed oil obtained from the crushed seeds is used in cosmeceuticals and skincare products. The oil is also noticeable for its high contents of tocopherols, phytosterols, and polyunsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic acid, oleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid. Commercially produced juice from the concord grapes is used medical research studies and is known to prevent from the risks of cancer, platelet aggregation and other risks of atherosclerosis. It also cures some of the problems associated with hypertension. They bear a special mention in Christianity as red wine is associated with the Holy Mass.



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