Grapes are an excellent fruit to incorporate into your diet. They’re low in calories, contain disease-fighting antioxidants, and they also contain water and fiber. They’re also a great source of nutrients such as vitamin A and C! But most importantly: grapes provide the perfect sweet treat without any guilt!
But does this mean that eating more grapes will cause weight gain? The truth is that there isn’t enough evidence to answer this question conclusively – but we do know for sure that eating fruit can help you lose weight. This article will discuss how you can use nature’s sweets to help with weight loss by following some easy tips provided below. So read on if you want to learn more about how grapes can help you lose weight and feel better!
How Good Are Grapes For Weight Loss?
These fruits play a role in weight maintenance because of the following reasons:
They Are Low In Calories
Grapes and fruit in general are some of the best foods to incorporate into your diet if you’re looking to lose weight. 100 grams of grapes contains about 69 calories! They contain no fat, cholesterol, or sodium (5). This means that you can eat more than just one serving and not worry about gaining any weight.
Contain Ellagic Acid
Ellagic acid is a natural phytonutrient that is found in the skin of red grapes. It may help improve lipid and glucose metabolism, as well as having anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties (9).
Contain Water
Water has several benefits for those who want to lose weight. Water helps you feel full and therefore eat less, as well as helping the body use stored fat as energy. Water also flushes toxins from the kidneys and bladder that may be slowing down your metabolic rate (17).
Grapes have high water content and can help you lose weight. When consumed with a meal, grapes can increase your feeling of fullness and prevent overeating. They also help to flush out built-up toxins in the kidneys and bladder, which helps to speed up the metabolic rate.
Read More: 7-Day Diet To Lower Triglycerides: The Best Low Fat Foods To Eat Every Day
Contain Fiber
One thing that is always recommended to people who are trying to lose weight or manage their weight is to consume more fiber. Fiber can help regulate digestion and makes you feel full for longer, which leads to less frequent snacking and potentially less calorie intake.
Grapes contain both soluble and insoluble fiber (15). The soluble type of fiber forms a gel-like material in the digestive system which slows down glucose absorption. This means that instead of your blood sugar levels spiking after eating something sweet like grapes, it will remain consistent throughout the day. Consistently lower blood sugar levels lead to decreased cravings for sugary foods as well as an overall feeling of fullness throughout the day which can prevent overeating.
Insoluble fiber is good for the large intestine because it can help regulate bowel movements and prevent constipation. It also helps to move food through your digestive system quicker to prevent constipation, gas, and bloating.
Both types of fiber are beneficial for losing weight, but together they are even better at controlling cravings and decreasing calorie intake throughout the day (7). So instead of snacking on highly processed foods, try to eat high-fiber foods like grapes that will help fill you up faster without consuming as many calories or junk food that doesn’t have any fibers in it at all.
Contain Resveratrol
Resveratrol is a chemical compound found in grapes and other foods such as red wine, peanuts, and different berries. Studies have shown that this chemical may help with weight loss in many different ways (16).
Grapes containing resveratrol increase your energy level because the fruit contains carbohydrates, which are broken down into glucose (a form of sugar) by the body. This process allows your body to use up more energy for improved metabolism.
Another effect of resveratrol on weight loss is that it may help your body metabolize fatty acids, allowing you to burn fat faster and lose weight quickly. Resveratrol may also help regulate insulin secretion within your body (12). Having high levels of insulin in the blood is associated with obesity and other health problems, such as type 2 diabetes.
Another way that resveratrol helps weight management is by reducing oxidative stress within your body. When free radicals accumulate from exposure to things like sun, pollution, alcohol, and smoking, resveratrol reduces their negative effects on the cells in your body. This prevents damage within your body which can help reduce the risk of various diseases (12).
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Does The Sugar In Grapes Cause Weight Gain?
Grapes are a high-glycemic fruit. What this means is that grapes are easily broken down into simple sugars by your body. Sugar can cause insulin levels to rise which in turn causes fat storage, weight gain, and obesity (18).
A cup of grapes contains 23 grams of sugar (5). The amount of sugar they contain is very important when considering weight management or weight gain. This is because eating too much sugar can lead to weight gain, and eventually, chronic disease (8).
However, that doesn’t mean you should avoid grapes altogether. Grapes still contain many other beneficial nutrients for weight loss such as vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and fiber (1).
The important thing to remember is that moderation is key. Just like any other food, overeating and not exercising enough can cause weight gain and health problems.
How To Use Grapes For Weight Loss
Grapes are versatile fruits that can be used in many dishes. If you want to include grapes in your diet for weight loss, here are a few ideas:
Eat Them Whole
Since grapes contain both soluble and insoluble fiber, they can be eaten whole to promote proper digestion. The fiber has various health benefits like increasing satiety (feeling of fullness) without consuming too many calories, helping you to eat less throughout the day, increasing energy levels, decreasing appetite, and regulating blood sugar levels (7). Chewing whole fruits makes you consume less and get full faster.
Chop Them Up In Salads
A great way to use grapes for weight loss is to chop them up and add them to a salad along with other low-calorie, high fiber vegetables like lettuce, broccoli, carrots, etc. Adding some grapes to a green salad can increase the number of vitamins and minerals you intake for little extra effort.
You can also season them or put them in a simple vinaigrette dressing for added flavor that won’t add excess calories, sugar, or carbs. If you’re feeling adventurous you can even make your own salad dressing out of ingredients such as balsamic vinegar, olive oil, mustard, lemon juice, etc.
Blend Them In Smoothies
Smoothies can be a great way to add more fiber and antioxidants into your diet without feeling like you’re eating too many calories or carbs. For example, you can add grapes along with other fruits such as bananas, pineapple, blueberries, cranberries, strawberries etc.
To make sure that you get enough of the nutrients from both soluble and insoluble fibers add some flaxseed or chia seeds to your smoothie which will also add protein (10). This will help slow down the rate at which the sugars from the fruits are broken down and instead of insulin increasing it will remain stable in your body which can promote weight loss and not fat storage.
Use Them As A Topping For Yogurt Or Keto-Friendly Ice Cream
Another option is topping plain yogurt with whole grapes. If you want something sweet without too many carbs or sugars, try mixing grapes with some stevia or low-carb chocolate for fruit keto-friendly ice cream.
Read More: The 3-Day Fruit Diet For Weight Loss: Pros, Cons, And What To Expect
Other Health Benefits Of Grapes
Disease Prevention
Since grapes are filled with antioxidants, eating them has many other health benefits that you may not be aware of. Antioxidants support your immune system because they help protect cells in the body against damage caused by free radicals (4). The damage done to cells by free radicals is what causes illness, disease, and even cancer if left unchecked.
Heart Health
Eating grapes can also help prevent heart disease. This is attributed to the high polyphenol content of grapes. The antioxidant properties of grapes help reduce oxidative stress which initiates diseases such as atherosclerosis. Grape polyphenols also possess anti-inflammatory effects and effects on platelet aggregation (6).
Grapes also contain resveratrol, a compound that is associated with weight loss and overall health. When consumed, resveratrol is also shown to reduce inflammation in the body and prevent LDL cholesterol oxidation. Both of these factors impact heart disease risk by preventing damage done to the walls of arteries due to oxidative stress caused by free radicals (13).
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Better Eye Health
Research has shown that the consumption of grapes helps protect your retina and macula (central parts of the eye). This is because they contain lutein and zeaxanthin which filter light in the eye (3).
Lower Blood Pressure
Eating grapes can help lower your blood pressure because they contain potassium which is widely known to reduce the risk of hypertension (14). Vitamin K also helps protect against high blood pressure by preventing mineral buildup in your arteries (increases heart attack risk).
Bone Health
Carotenoids and vitamin C are both helpful for healthy bones because they promote calcium absorption into the body. These vitamins are most heavily concentrated in organs like kidneys, liver, lungs, skin, etc. However they’re also present in grapes allowing you to get many bone building benefits (11).
Cancer Prevention
Ellagic acid is another compound found in grapes that have been studied due to its cancer-fighting properties. It gets converted to urolithin A in the body which may help prevent cells from growing abnormally and causing tumors to form. This compound is also believed to kill existing cancerous cells by causing them to self-destruct (apoptosis) (2).
The Bottom Line
Grapes are good for weight loss. They’re also a good source of fiber and antioxidants that have been shown to prevent a variety of different conditions including heart disease, high blood pressure, macular degeneration, certain cancers, etc. They can be used in many different creative ways to help you lose weight while also improving your overall health.
DISCLAIMER:
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
SOURCES:
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- Experimental Evidence of the Antitumor, Antimetastatic and Antiangiogenic Activity of Ellagic Acid (2018, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Fruits and vegetables that are sources for lutein and zeaxanthin: the macular pigment in human eyes (1999, bjo.bmj.com)
- Grape phytochemicals and associated health benefits (2013, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Grapes, raw (2020, fdc.nal.usda.gov)
- Grapes and Cardiovascular Disease | The Journal of Nutrition | Oxford Academic (2009, academic.oup.com)
- Health benefits of dietary fiber | Nutrition Reviews | Oxford Academic (2009, academic.oup.com)
- Impact of sugar on the body, brain, and behavior (2018, fbscience.com)
- Improvements in Metabolic Health with Consumption of Ellagic Acid and Subsequent Conversion into Urolithins: Evidence and Mechanisms (2016, academic.oup.com)
- Nutritional Composition of Grain and Seed Proteins (2021, intechopen.com)
- Osteoporosis prevention and nutrition (2009, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Resveratrol, in its natural combination in whole grape, for health promotion and disease management – Singh – 2015 – Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences – Wiley Online Library (2015, nyaspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com)
- Resveratrol: A Double-Edged Sword in Health Benefits (2018, mdpi.com)
- Sodium and potassium intake and mortality among US adults: prospective data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2011, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- The Chemical Composition of Grape Fibre (2015, researchgate.net)
- The effects of resveratrol intake on weight loss: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (2018, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Water, hydration, and health | Nutrition Reviews | Oxford Academic (2010, academic.oup.com)
- What causes the insulin resistance underlying obesity? (2015, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
