Living in my part of California, there are are endless rows of vineyards to be found in the out skirt of the city. They are the one plant that makes me feel right at home.
As for eating grapes, I don’t think I’m too fond of them. I think it’s because they never seem to taste the way I last remember them. It’s either too syrupy sweet (like cough medicine) or a bit tart.
Beautiful bunch clusters of Muscadine grapes. Photo from Apellation America.
But now I may think twice and start eating more grapes again. Clemson University researchers found various grape extracts and their compounds to be effective at inhibiting Helicobacter pylori, one of the leading causes of gastritis in humans. Basically, it’s good for your gut and digestive health.
H. pylori is often acquired by eating contaminated food and water. And also by person-to-person contact, it is linked with peptic ulcers and gastric cancer.
They’ve tested extracts from red, white, black and Muscadine grapes. The most beneficial grapes are the dark purple and black varieties. The researchers say, “grape extracts and their compounds were effective at inhibiting H. pylori in vitro, with highest efficacy by Muscadine grape skin extract.”
Muscadine grape vine growing in North Carolina. Photo from Duke University by Will Cook.
The Muscadines variety are usually found in Florida, Texas, North Carolina, and other southern states. They are one of the popular wine grapes. I wouldn’t mind drinking sweet Muscadine wine either.
Sweet Red: Made from our delicious sweet red Muscadines, this wine has gone through a heating process to remove the alcohol, not the flavor! Muscadine wines, both red and white, have ten times the resveratrol found in ordinary red wines. Loaded with muscat and floral notes. - Photo from Duplin Winery in Rose Hill, NC. $7.49 per bottle.
The fruit is dark purple and very round. They grow in clusters, rather than in bunches, and its fruit are more like small plums. I think I’ve had these before and was in awe of how round and neat they looked. But this variety of grape come only once in a while out here in California. But eating other other dark varieties of grapes would be just as beneficial too.
Black seedless grapes. Not the Muscadine, but taste pretty good!
6:16 pm on August 22nd, 2009
Must be the dark color that gives the most health benefits. I like to eat grapes, even the Muscadines, but it’s kind of pricey for me. My second sister was just talking about growing some grapes but couldn’t find the right spot for it yet.
11:21 pm on August 23rd, 2009
I would think Muscadines are cheaper in your area, especially NC. Grapes usually sell for $3 per pound here and it’s not even organic. I wonder if raisins have the same benefits as they also turn dark after sitting in the sun.
Having your own grape vine would be nice. We used to eat the young grape vines, they’re tart. And grape leaves could be use to wrap fish when broiling it.
10:14 pm on July 30th, 2010
[...] fruit is described as tasting very similar to Muscadine grapes. But the skin contains tannin so it makes your lips pucker. The real treat is probably the sweet [...]