Grapes – great for a snack and a meal too

When it comes to grapes, just how good are they for you? I particularly love grapes and would easily substitute a pound of grapes for a meal, be it breakfast, lunch or dinner. This fruit can also be a good snack for adults and children alike.

My search for health benefits of grapes reveal that few fruits have garnered as much attention in the health research literature as grapes. Part of the reason may be their widespread presence in diets worldwide. With the exception of Antarctica, grapes are cultivated on all of the earth’s continents, and researchers from many different countries have been especially interested in this fruit.

But an even greater part of the reason involves the amazing nutrient composition of grapes themselves. Every year, it seems like the list of health-supportive grape nutrients grows longer, and it can be challenging just to keep up with the many phytonutrients provided by this popular food.

Organised according to science-based categories, the list below will give you a general idea of the phytonutrient richness of grapes. While a single grape variety is unlikely to contain all of the phytonutrients listed below, grapes as a group have been shown to provide us with the following health-supportive nutrients:

Stilbenes (resveratrol, piceatannol, pterostilbene)

Flavanols (catechins, epicatechins, procyanidins, proanthocyanidins, viniferones)

Flavonols (quercetin, kaempferol, myricetin, isorhamnetin)

Phenolic Acids (caffeic acid, coumaric acid, ferulic acid, gallic acid)

Carotenoids (beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin)

In addition to the above-listed nutrients, grapes have also been shown to contain the hormone and antioxidant melatonin as well as unique oligopeptides (small protein-like molecules) that have anti-bacterial and other properties.

It’s important to note that the seed and the skin contain the richest concentration of antioxidants. It’s very rare to find a higher concentration of an antioxidant in the fleshy part of the grape than is present in the seed or skin. But this does not mean that we don’t benefit from eating the whole grape, including the flesh.

With their overwhelming number of health-supportive phytonutrients, it is not surprising that grapes have been shown to provide many of our body systems with predictable benefits. Areas of benefit in grape research include the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, immune system, inflammatory system, blood sugar regulating system, and nervous system. Another area of special benefit is cancer prevention, with risk of breast, prostate, and colon cancer emerging as the most likely areas of grape anti-cancer benefits.

(www.whfoods.com)

Here are some recipes using grapes you can try:

Grape Salsa

Ingredients

1 cup quartered seedless red grapes

1 cup quartered seedless green grapes

1 cup quartered seedless black grapes

1 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped

1/4 sweet onion, chopped

1/4 serrano chile pepper, minced

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 pinches ground cinnamon

1 pinch ground cloves

salt and ground black pepper to taste

Method

Combine red grapes, green grapes, black grapes, roma tomatoes, onion, serrano chile pepper, garlic, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours before serving.

Fruited Chicken Salad

Ingredients

1 apple, cored and diced

1/2 cup seedless red grapes, halved

1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice, or to taste

3/4 cup mayonnaise

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cooked and diced

Method

In a bowl, lightly mix the apple, grapes, pecans, apple pie spice, and mayonnaise together until thoroughly combined; stir in the chicken breast meat. Chill until cold.

Green Grape Salad

Ingredients

4 pounds seedless green grapes

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

1 (8 ounce) container sour cream

1/2 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 ounces chopped pecans

Method

Wash and dry grapes. In a large bowl, mix together the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and vanilla. Add grapes and mix until evenly incorporated. Sprinkle with brown sugar and pecans, mix again and refrigerate until serving.

Curry Chicken Salad with Grapes

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter

2 cups mayonnaise

1/4 cup minced garlic

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon curry powder

4 cups shredded cooked chicken

2 cups halved red grapes

Method

Heat butter in a large saucepan over low heat until melted; remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Stir mayonnaise, garlic, parsley, and curry powder into butter until evenly incorporated. Fold in chicken, grapes, and almonds. Transfer mixture to a serving bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until flavors have blended, at least 1 hour.

Garlic Chicken And Grapes

Ingredients

3 tablespoons Dijon-style prepared mustard

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

2 cups seedless green grapes

Method

Combine mustard, soy sauce, honey and vinegar. Set sauce aside.

In a 9 x 13 inch pan, combine garlic and oil. Place chicken in pan skin side down.

If using thighs, bake covered at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 25 minutes. If using breasts, bake covered at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 10 minutes. Uncover, and turn chicken pieces over. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake until no longer pink in center, about 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle grapes over chicken, and bake 5 minutes longer. Remove from oven, and arrange chicken and grapes on platter. Pass sauce when serving.

Frosted Grapes

Ingredients

2 pounds red seedless grapes

1 (3 ounce) package cherry flavored gelatin mix

Method

Pluck grapes from their stems and rinse in a colander. Pour the gelatin mix onto a plate. Place grapes on the plate one handful at a time and roll around until coated. Transfer to a pretty dish and refrigerate for 1 hour to allow the gelatin to set.

Mint and Fruit Smoothie

Ingredients

1/4 cup red seedless grapes, frozen

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, or to taste

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

3 frozen strawberries

1 cup cubed fresh pineapple

3 fresh mint leaves

Method

Place frozen grapes, applesauce, and lime juice into a blender. Puree until smooth. Add frozen strawberries, cubed pineapple, and mint leaves. Pulse a few times until the strawberries and pineapple are in small bits.

White Chocolate Grapes

Ingredients

2 cups white chocolate chips

2 teaspoons shortening

1 pound seedless grapes

1 cup finely chopped salted peanuts

Method

Combine the white chocolate chips and shortening in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring between each, until melted and smooth. Spread the chopped peanuts out on a piece of waxed paper or a dinner plate.

Dip clean, dry grapes into the chocolate, then roll in the peanuts. Set on waxed paper until dry. Warm chocolate as needed in the microwave to keep it liquid.

http://allrecipes.com