Grapes are packed with many beneficial nutrients. This fruit comes in literally thousands of different varieties and colors, all of them delicious in their own unique way—but are grapes good for you? Experts say there are both pros and cons to munching on bunches of grapes every day, but do the benefits of eating grapes outweigh the possible side effects?
Incredibly versatile, grapes are some of the most convenient yet nutritious foods around. They are a good source of vitamin K, containing over 18% of your daily recommended intake per cup of the bone health-supporting nutrient, as well as being low in fat, sodium, and cholesterol. They’re also about 84% water, which means you get an instant dose of hydration from munching on them. You can eat grapes right off the vine, incorporate them into smoothies, toss them into salads, or even freeze them for a popsicle-like treat. Despite their convenient portability and a bevy of possible health benefits, in some cases, grapes may also do more harm than good if you go overboard while snacking on them—which, let’s be honest, is pretty easy to do.
While this fruit is a mess-free treat that tastes as sweet as candy, the sweet flavor of grapes results from their naturally high sugar content. Additionally, grapes can contain a lot of carbs while also lacking satiating protein. For instance, a 1-cup serving of grapes delivers about 23 grams of sugar, 27 grams of carbs, and only a measly 1 gram of protein. In other words, it’s easy to get carried away devouring grapes by the handfuls, and the amount of sugar and carbs you consume while noshing on grapes by the bunches can add up quickly.
A Look at the Nutrition Info for Grapes
To get a better sense of the impact of the benefits versus the side effects of eating grapes on your overall health and wellness, let’s first turn to the fundamental nutrition content of grapes.
Before diving into how eating this tiny fruit can potentially affect your body and overall health in the short and long term, it’s important to understand how the nutrition profile breaks down for grapes. According to the USDA, one cup of seedless grapes, whether green or red, amounts to:
8 Benefits of Eating Grapes
So, are grapes good for you? To help us untangle this vine, we assess the science behind some of the benefits and side effects that are associated with eating grapes. Keep reading to discover what might happen to your body when you eat a bunch of grapes. And for more science-backed insight on another beloved fruit, be sure to check out 11 Science-Backed Benefits of Eating Strawberries.
Looking to keep your health and external appearance in tip-top condition as you age? Then consider packing some grapes in your work lunch bag! Though more research is needed, the implications of many animal studies suggest that eating more grapes might just help extend your lifespan while also maintaining your youthful glow well into your golden years. This is because grapes contain resveratrol, a natural antioxidant that can deter signs of aging by reducing oxidative stress, minimizing inflammation, and supporting cellular processes that help regulate aging and cell death. Resveratrol is also linked to improved skin quality and may even help support hair growth.
3 Negative Side Effects of Eating Grapes
“Chronic inflammation has been linked to cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, and other serious conditions. Fortunately, grapes are brimming with antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin K, polyphenols, catechins, and anthocyanins—all of which can help reduce inflammation,” says Jesse Feder, RD, a registered dietitian and personal trainer with Strength Warehouse.
“Additionally, grapes—especially red ones—are known to be rich in resveratrol,” says Feder. Resveratrol is known to help protect against inflammation. Specifically, resveratrol provides a protective lining for blood vessels to prevent injury, thereby warding off heart inflammation. Studies have even found that taking grape powder extract can increase the levels of anti-inflammatory compounds in your blood.
Grapes are a stellar source of vitamin C; one cup of grapes amounts to over 5% of your recommended daily value of this vitamin. As you may or may not know, vitamin C is an essential nutrient that benefits your immune system, which may explain why test-tube studies have shown that grape skin extract can protect against the flu virus. In fact, 2013 research comparing the immune-boosting effects of hundreds of foods found that red grapes stood out—mainly due to the resveratrol in grapes, which also works with vitamin D to raise the expression of a specific gene involved in immune function.
One cup of grapes contains an impressive 288 milligrams of potassium, which plays a key role in lowering blood pressure. Not only that but studies have shown that red grapes contain compounds that may help to reduce total and “bad” LDL cholesterol.
“The polyphenols in grapes have been shown to lower the risk of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries),” says certified nutritionist Paul Claybrook, MS. “They do this, of course, by eliminating free radicals but also improve the function of the tissues and help avoid LDL cholesterol from being damaged and sticking to blood vessel walls. They also help maintain the elasticity of blood vessels, thus reducing blood pressure and [keeping] platelets from sticking together and creating clogs.”
