There are numerous traditions around the world on New Year’s Eve. One of them, which has spread from Spain, is the eating of 12 grapes at midnight, one for each chime of the clock. This is said to bring health benefits in the new year. In fact, the fruit can help lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
Eating grapes on New Year’s Eve is said to make wishes come true, but if the goal is better health, it would be wise to eat them every day, says a post from the American Heart Association (AHA) .
High content of resveratrol
Grapes can contribute to a healthy heart and brain. For example, clinical studies have shown that components contained in grapes can help lower cholesterol levels. Grapes may also be helpful for vision and liver function.
The fruit is rich in vitamins A, C, D, E, K, B-1, B-2 and B-6 as well as several minerals including copper and manganese. Grapes and raisins provide potassium, which can help keep blood pressure under control. Half a cup of raisins contains more potassium than a medium banana.
Red and white grapes, as well as the juice and wine made from them, contain high levels of resveratrol, an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent.
“The scope of potential health benefits is so broad—cardiovascular, brain, bladder, colon—the list goes on,” says Dr. John Pezzuto, dean of the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Western New England University in Springfield. Massachusetts.
Health Benefits
Arlen Vanessa Marin, a registered dietitian in Miami, says grapes are a good addition to a balanced diet. What is particularly worth highlighting is the resveratrol it contains, which, according to some studies, can lower cholesterol levels and blood pressure. “But more science is needed,” said the expert.
Here comes Dr. Pezzuto into play. Much of his research was on grapes.
His recent work has focused on phytochemicals, compounds that plants produce to defend against disease, as well as the microbiome, the bacteria and fungi found on and in the human body, and genetic expression. Grapes contain more than 1,600 phytochemicals.
His work concludes that eating grapes actually changes the microbiome and the effects make people more resilient.
“There is a famous saying: You are what you eat. “We found that what you eat actually changes you genetically,” says the researcher. “I think we’re just starting to realize the power of nutrition, and for me it all started with looking at grapes.”
Protection against UV rays
Not only are grapes good for a person’s insides, but they can also be good for their outsides. A 2022 study conducted by Pezzuto and published in the journal Antioxidants found that eating grapes may help protect the skin from UV rays.
Marin points out that while grapes are great, they’re also high in sugar: One cup of grapes can contain about 15 grams of natural sugar, and raisins even more—and that’s something that needs to be taken into account, especially by people with diabetes.
So consider having another snack alongside a dozen grapes on New Year’s Eve.
“With grapes, it is good to combine them with a healthy fat or protein so that blood sugar levels do not rise,” explains the nutritionist. “You can combine grapes with almonds or some cheese to control blood sugar spikes.” (ad)