Are Grapes Good for You?
These little red and green globes pack plenty of nutrition
In the nutritional hierarchy of fruit, grapes rarely occupy a top spot. Their natural sweetness has earned them an (unwarranted) reputation for being a too-sugary snack. But don’t let their sweetness fool you into thinking they’re not healthy.
It’s true that grapes are higher in natural sugars, and lower in fiber, than some other fruits. A cup of grapes contains about 104 calories, 23 grams of sugar, and 1.5 grams of fiber. By comparison, a cup of strawberries has just 53 calories, 8 grams of sugar, and about 3 grams of fiber. Still, the natural sugars in grapes don’t raise blood sugar levels the way added sugars do.
"Grapes are nature’s candy, but they are a healthy kind of sweet,” says Lisa Sasson, RD, clinical professor of nutrition and food studies at New York University. “If you reached for a bunch of grapes instead of a handful of jelly beans whenever you had a sugar craving, you’d be a lot healthier.” That’s because grapes actually have a whole lot going for them. Here’s the latest info on the health benefits of grapes.
The Antioxidant Power of Grapes
One cup of grapes has about 21 percent of the copper daily value, which is important for nerve function and immunity, and 18 percent of the daily value for vitamin K, which helps with bone health and blood clotting. You’ll also get small amounts of potassium, riboflavin, thiamin, and vitamins C and E.
The Truth About Resveratrol
Resveratrol is another type of polyphenol in grapes, and the one that gets the most attention. It’s concentrated mainly in the skin of red and purple grapes (and in smaller quantities in green ones). You typically hear about resveratrol in the context of red wine (which, of course, is made from grapes). That’s because in the ’90s, researchers started looking into whether resveratrol might be the explanation for the “French Paradox,” or why the French, who drink lots of red wine, have lower levels of heart disease despite eating a relatively high-fat diet. Suddenly, headlines were touting the benefits of drinking red wine to prevent heart disease, and resveratrol supplements flooded the market.
“Wine does have more concentrated amounts of resveratrol than grapes because the alcohol extracts it from the skin during fermentation,” says Zhaoping Li, MD, PhD, chief of the division of clinical nutrition at UCLA Health. But despite the initial hype, decades of research on resveratrol has yielded mixed results for its powers to help prevent heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, or promote longevity on its own. You’re better off eating whole grapes. “It’s unlikely that all the health benefits of grapes come solely from resveratrol, but from all of the antioxidants and other nutrients in combination,” says Shilpa Bhupathiraju, PhD, assistant professor of nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Cambridge, Mass.
What About Grape Juice and Raisins?
You’re going to get the most nutritional bang for your buck by eating whole grapes in a mix of colors. “Drinking grape juice is going to mean more calories and concentrated sugar, and typically most of the fiber from the fruit is lost,” says Sasson. An 8-ounce glass of 100 percent grape juice contains 160 calories, 35 grams of sugar, and just half a gram of fiber. And in 2019, tests by Consumer Reports found concerning levels of heavy metals in some brands of grape juice.
Raisins, like all dried fruit, can be healthy in moderation. “With the water content removed, the sugar and calories are very concentrated,” says Sasson. “But they are still a great source of fiber, and they’re a delicious sweet treat as a snack or topping for cereal or yogurt.” A handful of raisins (1 ½ ounces) contains 129 calories, 28 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of fiber.
