Grapes: its many properties
This fruit, a symbol of the autumn season, is an important natural antioxidant with numerous beneficial effects on the body.
The plant for grape production is Vitis Vinifera. Its origin is not known it is thought that it may be in Asia Minor. There are some studies that show that grape production in Western Asia was occurring as early as 7,000 years ago, and from frescoes found in Egypt it has been established that it was cultivated there as early as 2,374 BCE . Already the Greeks and Romans consumed wine in abundance. With the fall of the Roman Empire it was the Gauls who supported viticulture then it was the monasteries that continued and improved cultivation and production techniques.
Grapes later became the main ingredient in the production of various alcoholic beverages such as cognac, port, and champagne.
There are white grapes and black grapes, and they are divided into table grapes, which are consumed in baking and cooking, wine grapes, and grapes for drying. It is used in addition to making wine and alcoholic beverages on its own, in fruit salads, and in jelly jams on tarts. Grape juice is used a lot, and a table oil called grape seed oil can be extracted from the seeds.
Grapes have good properties that are useful for consumption. Grapes contain simple sugars that are easily assimilated, such as glucose, mannose and levulose, minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin C, B vitamins, such as thiamine and vitamin B6, polyphenols, such as resveratrol, which is a powerful antioxidant. The peel contains tannins in it. In addition, grapes are composed of 80% water. As for its composition, it varies greatly depending on the climatic conditions from the variety of grape and the areas where it is produced.
It possesses numerous antioxidant and anticancer properties due to the fact that grapes contain many polyphenols, as well as having antiviral properties due to the presence of tannic acid and phenol. Resveratrol is able to lower LDL “bad cholesterol” levels and increase what “good cholesterol” HDL.
Grapes have a diuretic, energetic, remineralizing and laxative effect; in fact, they are useful when there is constipation. Those with diabetes, overweight and obesity should be careful to consume grapes in moderation. In cases of poor digestion, grapes should be eaten without skin and seeds, in which case grape juice may be helpful.
There is a grape cure, which is called ampelotherapy, which consists of consuming only grapes throughout the day up to consuming 2.5 kg per day. This should lead to loss of appetite. It is used to detoxify the body. Be careful in doing this treatment, because there is a major nutritional imbalance. If you wanted to extend it for more days it should be done under the supervision of a physician or nutritionist.
