Did you know

I learned this along with some other tantalizing tid-bits while interviewing Registered Dietitian Casey Lewis, who just so happens to be the Health and Nutrition Manager for Welch’s—the ultimate grape LoViN company.

Welch’s proves its grape adoration with the fact that they produced the world’s FIRST pasteurized juice—earning the title of Original Super Juice in 1869. Yet, this title wasn’t necessarily what Welch’s founder, Dr. Thomas Barmwell Welch, was hankering for. He was simply trying to make an “unfermented (nonalcoholic) sacramental wine” for communion service at his church. Guess he got more than he was praying for! And today, Welch’s–the world’s leading marketer of Concord and Niagara based grape products—is owned by over 1,200 family famers who make up the National Grape Cooperative.

Hence, when granted the chance to interview a fellow grape lover and Dietitian, I just had to snag the ultimate 411 on my favorite natural fruit wonder—the grape.

What’s one or two of the most exciting health benefits Welch’s researchers have recently found regarding grapes?

Beyond protecting heart health and providing you with protective antioxidants, Concord grape juice may help keep your arteries flexible. A new study has shown Concord grape juice to have a beneficial impact on nocturnal blood pressure, which reflects overall cardiovascular health. Under optimal circumstances, blood pressure will dip down at night, giving the heart and vessels a rest. And this nightly drop is referred to as nocturnal dipping. Clinical evidence suggests that those who are “non-dippers” are at an increased risk for cardiovascular health (FASCINATING! … If you ask me!). Additionally, a study in the British Journal of Medicine has shown that Concord grape juice may help support healthy brain function in  certain population groups, especially older adults with early memory decline.

Tell me a little about the red versus green grape controversy. Healthwise, do you think red or green grapes are better for you?

Grapes in every color are a great way to increase fruit consumption and can be a part of an overall healthful diet. Dark purple and red grapes do tend to contain higher levels of plant nutrients known as polyphenols. Specifically, green grapes lack the the polyphenols known as anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are found in the skins of certain grapes, giving the fruit its beautiful red/purple hue. To add to that, seeded grapes (like Concord and Niagra grapes) tend to have higher polyphenol levels than unseeded grapes. The reason is that seedless grapes have minimal proanthocyanidins, a class of polyphenols most abundant in seeds.

As a soon-to-be Registered Dietitian, I get many questions and comments about people avoiding grapes because they’re “high carb” or “full of sugar.” As the Welch’s Dietitian, what do you think is the biggest misconception people have about grapes or grape juice and what do you say to them?

When it comes to grape juice, it’s essential to stress that not all sugar containing beverages are created equal. 100% grape juice contains sugar, but as is with all 100% juice, it is naturally sweet and does not contain any added sugar. Welch’s 100% grape juice is not an empty-calorie beverage—you get healthy promoting plant nutrients and the essential nutrient vitamin C. Moderate consumption of 100% juice in amounts that meet current intake recommendations has not been associated with overweight in children or adolescents. 100% juice can contribute several key nutrients to the diet and is a convenient way to add color and variety to the table.

What’s your favorite way to eat grapes?

And do you prefer red or green?

Note: NO offense will be taken

Happy Healthifying!

*Please note that Welch’s did not compensate me in any manner for posting this on my blog. I simply posted it out of my grape-loving nature.

I love grapes (eh-hem…could you not tell???)

What can I say? I have always been a sucker for the grape. Once you pop them in your mouth they dance, sing, and finally burst with simple sweet natural goodness that awakens the palate, quenches thirst, and dents hunger. Grapes are my all-time favorite fruit … no joke! I just can’t resist them or their name! For example, in elementary school I named my neighborhood kickball team the Green Grapes! My softball team–the Green Grapes! My basketball team–uh, can you guess … the Green Grapes! Why, you ask??? Because I LOVE green grapes and those 2 words, “green” + “grapes” just sound so darn good together!

I tried to keep this “team name” going in high school, but, as you may imagine,  it didn’t go over so well. Hence, I decided the perfect place for my Green Grapes dedication would be my health blog!

Now that you have a little background of the GGB name, we need to talk about something. Are you sitting down? No, just kidding–not that serious. But, kind of…

Ms. Healthy Blog Snack and I were chatting–as usual–and she filled me in on some grape slander. Apparently, on The Bonnie Hunt Show someone commented that “grapes make you fat.” NOOOO!!! WRONG!!!! Then, just the other day, grapes got a bad rap on The Biggest Loser, which does NOT make me a happy grape eater! These comments got me VERY concerned!

Why??? A) wrong nutrition information is being given; B) wrong nutrition information is being highly promoted; C) grapes are tiny, tasty tots of joy, health, and delight. AND, they  just so happen to be a fruit! How can people be raggin’ on a pure, simple food from nature? It is just wrong! You can see for yourself! Check out the nutrition 411 on table grapes below: 90 calories per serving, 0 fat grams, 1 gram of fiber … this is GOOD!!! Yet, people continue to diss grapes! So frustrating…

People have argued the following points with me:

1. Grapes are higher in sugar than other fruits, such as berries
2. Grapes are “high calorie”
3. Grapes don’t provide much fiber

My responses to the above:

1. Grapes have about 20 grams of sugar per cup verse 8 grams per cup in berries, BUT people this is a natural sugar…ain’t no high-fructose added junk here!
2. Grapes are NOT high calorie!!! If we say you need 2000 calories per day, 1 serving is only 4.5%  of your total calorie needs. 2 servings= 9%…Get the point?
3. Grapes may not be a SUPER FIBER PROVIDER, but this should not be an issue! You should be eating other foods (not just grapes) that get you to your fiber quota.

I will now tell you a secret … Did you know that I can see the search terms that people use to find GGB? And, the TOP SEARCH item was, “Do grapes make you fat?” Poor grapes! My instinctive answer was NOOOO!!!!!!! Then I thought, WOW, so many aren’t showing grapes the love … BUT then I discovered that some may be showing grapes TOO much love.

On various web discussion forums MANY people were writing in that they ate 8 to 12 cups of grapes per day, meaning they were consuming about 800-1,200 calories in grapes ALONE per day! This amount of grapes may put a dent in your weight efforts and may just cause your stomach to be mad (did I mention “grapes and diarrhea and constipation” were also top search terms people used to find GGB?). If you are suffering from stomach distress after your daily grape fix, you might want to cut back. But, you don’t need ME to tell you that! Basically, show grapes LOVE–they are a HEALTHY food and WILL NOT make you fat!!!! Just don’t go downing 10 plus cups per day???? Ya, feel me?

Before I sign off on this post, I must tell you why grapes are a nutritional powerhouse…

• Grapes of all colors, red, black, green–no discrimination here–contain antioxidants! In other words, grapes are protecting your cells from damage and keeping you a lean, mean, disease-fighting machine!
• Grapes keep your ticker tickin’ by helping lower blood pressure, bad cholesterol, and inflammation (Yea!).
• Grape skins–again of all colors–are the main dietary source of Resveratrol. You’re like, what the heck is that??? Resveratrol is a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent that has shown potential in battling Alzheimer’s, cancer, and may just help increase your time on this planet … so you can eat more grapes of course … just kidding:)
• Grapes deliver the nutrients needed to keep your eyes healthy. This one may not sound too exciting to you, but I don’t need to blog about how important your eyesight is for you to “get it.”

Bottom Line:

• Grapes are a natural, whole food! What more can you ask for?
• Grapes will not make you fat!
• Grapes are antioxidant powerhouses!
• Grapes are delicious!
• I LOVE grapes!

Check out this AWESOME recipe search from my home state’s Grape Commission–California Table Grape Commission. HERE you can find tons of Recipes that incorporate grapes into any dish–an appetizer, entree, side dish, dessert, or salad. Plus, you can choose if you want a quick, featured, or low fat recipe! I plan on making the sea scallops with red grapes, avocado, and pea shoots–YUM!

Go out & Healthify and show grapes some LOVE while you’re at it!

Your grape defender,

Corinne