All food contains all of the nutrients we need to be healthy, it is necessary to eat various foods in sufficient amounts. A good diet will include many different foods, and sufficient in quantity and quality to meet an individual’s need for food energy and other micro nutrients.

Asparagus

Avocados

Banana

Barley

Bean Sprouts

GRAPES AND RAISINS

Typical serving size:

½ cup or about 15 grapes (1
6 oz or 46 g) ¼cup raisins (1
2 oz or 35 g)

HOW THEY HARM

Asthma attacks in sulfur-sensitive people

Allergies

in people with aspirin

Allergies

WHAT THEY HEAL

Heart disease Cancer Muscle cramps Anemia Low in calories, grapes are favored for their sweet, juicy flavor
One of the oldest and most abundant of the world’s fruit crops, grapes are cultivated on six of the seven continents
Most of the 60 million metric tons grown worldwide annually are fermented to produce wine
Grapes are also made into jams and spreads, used in cooking, and eaten raw as a snack food
The dried grapes, or raisins, provide the same antioxidant benefit as the juicy version
However, because of the dehydration, raisins have more calories
A serving of about 30 raisins is 78 calories

Health Benefits

Wards off heart disease
Anthocyanins found in red and purple grapes have numerous

Health Benefits

including lowering heart disease
Grapes contain quercetin, a plant pigment that is thought to regulate the levels of blood cholesterol and also reduce the action of clot-forming platelets
Some researchers theorize that it is quercetin that lowers the risk of heart attack among moderate wine drinkers
May reduce the risk of cancer
The skin of red grapes contains resveratrol, a potent phytochemical that is linked to a reduction in cancer, as well as heart disease and stroke
Grapes also contain ellagic acid, thought to protect the lungs against environmental toxins
A cup of European table grapes provides about 20% of the RDA for vitamin C, about four times that found in the American varieties
Prevents cramps and anemia
Most types provide fair amounts of potassium and iron, which help ward off muscle cramps and anemia

Health Risks

Asthma attacks
Commercially grown grapes are usually sprayed with pesticides and are treated with sulfur dioxide to preserve their color and extend shelf life: They should always be washed before being eaten
People with asthma should either avoid grapes or look for those that have not been treated with sulfur to prevent an attack
Allergic reaction
Grapes naturally contain salicylates, compounds similar to the major ingredient in aspirin
Salicylates have an anticlotting effect
People who are allergic to aspirin may react to grapes and grape products

Allergies

Stir halved white grapes into gazpacho

Top french toast with sliced red grapes and a drizzle of maple syrup

Toss some slices into a pasta salad

Buying Tip

s

Look for plump grapes without blemishes

Avoid grapes that are wrinkled, brownish, or white where the stem meets the fruit

Buy single-serving boxes of raisins to make sure you stick to small portions of this otherwise good-for-you food

Storing Tips

Store grapes unwashed in a ventilated plastic bag in the refrigerator for 1 week

Do not store at room temperature, which causes fermentation

QUICK TIP:

Go for color To reap the full benefit of grapes, buy red or purple varieties: They seem to contain the highest concentration of healthful compounds