Grapes make a great snack and can also be used to make juices, desserts, salads and main dishes. These versatile fruits provide a number of essential nutrients and their phytochemicals may provide the health benefits of potentially lowering your risk for heart disease and cancer, although further research is needed to verify these positive effects, according to the American Cancer Society. (See Reference 2)
Each one-cup serving of grapes contains 62 calories, 0.6 grams of protein, 0.3 grams of fat and 15.8 grams of carbohydrate, including 0.8 grams of fiber. (See Reference 1) This is about three percent of the daily 25-gram value for fiber for people who eat a 2,000-calorie diet.
Grapes are a source of vitamins, with each cup providing 13.4 micrograms of vitamin K, or 17 percent of the daily value; 3.7 milligrams of vitamin C and 0.09 milligrams of thiamine, or six percent of the daily value for each of the latter two nutrients; and 0.1 milligrams of vitamin B-6, or five percent of the DV. (See Reference 1) Vitamin K is important for strong bones and blood clotting, and vitamin C helps with immune function and repairing tissues. Thiamine and vitamin B-6 are B vitamins, which help turn the food you eat into energy and keep your hair and skin healthy.
While red seedless grapes aren't a great source of minerals, they do provide 176 milligrams of potassium, or five percent of the DV, per one-cup serving, as well as smaller amounts of magnesium, zinc, iron, calcium and phosphorus. (See Reference 1) Potassium is important for keeping your heart beating regularly, muscle and nerve function, and maintaining healthy blood pressure levels.
Potential Health Benefits
Grapes, grape juice and wine all contain antioxidants called polyphenols, including flavonoids and resveratrol. These antioxidants may help lower your risk for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, blood clots and heart disease, according to an article published in "The Journal of Nutrition" in July 2009, although further research is still needed. (See Reference 3) MayoClinic.com notes that red or black grapes provide more benefits than green grapes since they contain higher antioxidant levels. (See Reference 4)
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