Grape is the fruit of the grapevine (Vitis vinifera). This is a shooty woody plant belonging to the Vitaceae family native to temperate Western Asia. Although present in the wild in many parts of the world, grapevine was domesticated as centuries came and went. Vine masters specifically sought to produce fine wine and table grapes. This fruit is much appreciated the world over for its many medicinal properties and health benefits.
Grapevine and its health benefits
Sweet and filled with sun, grape is the tonic and energy fruit per se. With high levels of hydrating juice, it also provides many minerals (potassium in particular), fiber and vitamins.
- Grapes (red grapes especially) have an acknowledged beneficial effect on preventing cardiovascular diseases. Drinking red grape juice also seems to reduce bad cholesterol and increase the “good” one. It also seems to protect against the spread of certain cancers.
- Several studies have shown that the ingestion of grape juice (again, red grapes especially) has a beneficial impact on motor skills and on memory.
- Thanks to high levels of vitamin B and C and antioxidants (flavonoids), red grapes help fight cell aging. The compounds work by tying up the free radicals that would otherwise damage cells.
- Fiber-rich grapes ease intestinal transit.
- Grapes, in their skin, contain resveratrol. This is a precious anti-ageing agent that has antioxidant properties usually involved in helping the grapevine to regenerate… Our skin does the same when we eat it! Resveratrol also boasts interesting heart-protecting properties.
- Grapevine leaf and seed extracts alleviate venous insufficiency. They are excellent against varicose veins. They also help treat problems connected to capillary weakness. Examples of such problems are hemorrhage, nosebleed, hemorrhoids, bruises and petechiae (red spots on the skin).
- Thanks to embedded tannin compounds, grapevine leaves are very astringent and help recover a proper blood circulation. They are effective in case of chronic diarrhea and to fight against uterine hemorrhage.
Grape sap and grape juice, very helpful, too
- Spring sap collected from grapevine shoots (“weeping vine”) is a tonic, an antihemorrhagic and a wound-healer. It is recommended in case of conjunctivitis and ocular inflammations.
- Grape is refreshing, diuretic and laxative. You can drink grape juice as a therapy if you suffer from constipation, arthritis, rheumatism or gout. Such a diet has been shown to be effective against skin diseases, liver and urinary tract disorders, and against hypertension and arteriosclerosis.
Growing grapevine for its health benefits
- Unless you live in warm climates, we recommend planting grapevine under the shelter of a South-facing wall. In winter, grapevine starts suffering below 5°F (-15°C). Continuous freezing for two days at 28°F (-2°C) after vegetation has started can destroy the coming harvest.
- Grapevine can deal with practically any type of well drained soil. However, it doesn’t react well in excessively fertile soil: the plant tends to produce more leaves and less fruits.
- If you wish to grow grapevine in a pot, choose a variety that has the habit of growing small. The ‘Perdin’, for instance, grows very well in 12 inch (30 cm) garden boxes.
- Stay on the lookout for downy mildew, powdery mildew, phylloxera, mites, wasps and bumblebees. In other words, there’s a long list of pests that often attack grapevine and its fruits!
Use grapevine in your cooking to reap its health benefits
For varieties grown in gardens, the fruits can be eaten as is. It is also possible to make jam, pies and of course, wine. Added during the last minutes of a roast, grapes can serve as a side to fowl and poultry.
Grape seeds produce an oil of the highest quality, added to many diets.
Grape Nutritional content
70 kcal / 3.5 oz (100 g) for white grapes, 62 kcal / 3.5 oz (100 g) for red grapes. With high levels of sugar, grapes also contain vitamin B, vitamin C and many minerals: phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and calcium.
Can you make wine from Grape Vine Sap – would you need to add other ingredients to the sap e.g. grape juice, apple juice etc.
Thanks.
Grape vine sap is indeed very healthy, but like nearly all tree saps (except perhaps sugar maple sap), it’s much closer to water than, say, grape fruit juice. And though it tastes fresh, it won’t taste at all like wine made from the grapes.
That being said, you can of course use grape vine sap as a base for fermenting. Key ingredients you’d need to add include sugar, (wine) yeast, an acid (like lemon) and then let it sit. I’ve only ever made coconut wine and sweet potato wine, so I can’t walk you through sap wine, but adding other juices isn’t a requirement. It’s more a question of taste.
Thompson seedless are growing in my back yard. How do they compare with the other varieties on the sap from the vines?
Hi Don, thanks for your comment. Thompson seedless are of the same plant and genus as most other types of grapes, Vitis vinifera. Although there are certainly differences in the amounts of each compound between different varieties, this is usually minimal: all grapevines will produce sap with very similar properties. What might make a difference, though, is when you collect the sap: spring sap collected on pruned tips, when the water rush is high, will have a lower “nutrient” content than the concentrated sap collected from a nipped branch in the middle of a hot summer. Hope this helps!