Grape Juice
Grape juice is a much healthier replacement for soda or any aerated drinks. It tastes sweet, slightly tart and has a naturally vibrant colour. However, the sugar content in grape juice is higher than that of grapefruit. So it is debatable if grape juice is as healthy as a grape fruit. Grape fruit can be incorporated in your diet in many ways. Like fruit salads, juice, wine, desserts, cocktails and mocktails.
There are a variety of grapes from which grape juice can be made; the following are a few examples.
- Bluebell
- Concord
- Canadice
- Edelweiss
- Catawba
- Niagara
- Fredonia
- Ives-Grafted
- St. Croix
- Reliance
- Schuyler
- Everest Seedless
- Steuben
- Vincent
- Valiant
- Lomanto
- Mars
Types of Grape Juice
- White grape juice is made from the green variety of grapes. These grapes are a little sweeter than the purple ones, so the juice is sweeter as well.
- Juice made from Concord grapes is the most common grape juice available commercially. They are dark in colour since they are made of purple grapes.
- The store brought juice, which says juice from concentrate is the variety from which water content is removed and is thicker in consistency.
- Some juice, which is named 100% juice, means that all the ingredients are from natural fruit and vegetables.
- Grape concentrations are also made into mocktails and cocktails as well.
Nutrient Value of Grapes
The following is the nutrition present in 100g of grapes:
- Fat - 0.13%
- Protein - 0.37 %
- Carbohydrate - 14.8%
- Fibre - 0.2 %
- Sugar - 14.2%
Benefits of Grape Juice for this Summer
- Promotes digestion - Drinking grape juice aids the digestive system as it promotes the diversity of beneficial gut microbiomes.
- Improves Immunity - Most of the grape varieties have vitamin C in them. Vitamin C enriches the immune system by supporting the immune cells and lessening oxidative stress.
- Reduces Inflammation - Grape juice has an abundance of antioxidants, like resveratrol, that reduce inflammation and also modulate immune cells.
- Supports Heart Health - Grape juice contains flavonoids that can help in reducing the risk of many heart diseases like:
i) Platelet aggregation
ii) Inflammation
iii) Cholesterol and triglyceride levels
iv) Plaque build-up in the arteries
A few more potential benefits of grape juice include:
- Prevents hair loss
- Maintains natural shine in the hair
- Prevents dandruff
- Aids in kidney disorders
- Fights viral infections
- Helps with constipation
- Wards off eye degeneration
- Boosts brain functioning
- Soothes migraine
- Keeps skin healthy
- Alleviates fatigue
- Supplements iron content
- Great source of protein which prevents cramps
Making Grape Juice
- Take some homegrown or store-bought grapes, separate them from the stem, and wash them thoroughly, as grapes contain a lot of pesticides.
- After washing them, put them in the mixer and blend them completely.
- Now filter this juice with a strainer or a thin cloth.
- Adding sugar or other ingredients like lime can be according to each individual's likes.
- Enjoy the delicious healthy drink for the summer.
Conclusion
Grape juice is a natural and healthy drink for this summer. However there are questions if it is as healthy as the fruit as it contains low amount of fiber and high amounts of sugar. But when consumed in moderate amount the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
