The grape fits perfectly in a fruit salad. You can grow the grape plant in your own garden as a facade plant. A grape bush enjoys covering the entire facade. It is a real climber. There are white, red and blue grapes. The white grapes are green, the blue ones almost black. The red grapes are simply burgundy red towards dark purple. NB! This article is written from the personal view of the author and may contain information that is not scientifically substantiated and/or in line with the general view.
Contents:
- Grapes in the Netherlands
- Resveratrol in grapes
- Pesticides on the grape
- Pick grapes from your facade
- Nutritional value of grapes
- Lots of phytonutrients
- Grape eating tips
Grapes in the Netherlands
Grapes are delicious fruits that hang in bunches on the grape bush. This shrub grows best in subtropical countries, but even in the Netherlands it does reasonably well. In Limburg, entire hillsides are covered with it. White grapes are mainly grown without seeds.Source: Dragonflyir, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA-3.0)
Resveratrol in grapes
Grapes contain resveratrol. The red grape contains slightly more than the white grape. This substance is said to fight cancer. This claim should be made with caution as not enough scientific studies have been done yet. More research must therefore be conducted to obtain absolute certainty about this. Some people who are undergoing chemotherapy use a resveratrol supplement as an additional remedy.Source: Fir0002, Wikimedia Commons (GFDL-1.2)
Pesticides on the grape
Grapes are super healthy, but in American studies they are repeatedly seen as one of the most problematic fruits when it comes to agricultural poison residues that are carcinogenic. That is an extra good reason to switch completely to organic grapes, or to growing grapes on the facade of your own house. The grape bush does especially well in the city because there is more shelter there and it is slightly warmer than in the countryside. A facade vegetable garden is an excellent way to grow edible plants.
Pick grapes from your facade
Grapes are an ideal climber; the plant seems to have been specially made for the facade vegetable garden. This plant thrives especially in the city, especially if it grows against a south-facing facade. The facade protects the plant against cold and on the other hand, the grape bush acts as air conditioning since the facade does not get hot in the summer. The house stays cooler because of the vegetation.Source: Gomada, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-3.0)
Nutritional value of grapes
The nutritional value of grapes does not seem particularly high. The number of phytonutrients makes up for that completely. The government has drawn up a Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamins and minerals, but this does not include phytonutrients. The mineral manganese appears to be most abundant in the grape. 100 grams of grapes contain 36% of the RDA for manganese. Vitamin K is also found in reasonable amounts in the grape. An ounce of grapes contains 18% of the RDA. Vitamin C ranks third among the nutrients in grapes with 7% RDA. Grapes also contain vitamin B1 and the minerals potassium and iron, all three of which have an RDA of 4%. The nutritional value differs per grape variety.Source: rdesai, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-2.0)
Lots of phytonutrients
Grapes also contain the flavonoids catechin, epicatechin, procyanidin, proanthocyanidin and viniferone. These all work as antioxidants! But the list of complicated names doesn’t end there. It also contains the flavonols kaempferol, myricetin and isorhamnetin. In addition, grapes contain many phenolic acids: caffeic acid, cinnamic acid, ferulic acid and the oxidized polyphenol gallic acid. It also contains beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin. In addition, grapes contain melatonin, which, like resveratrol, is sold as an anti-cancer supplement.
Grape eating tips
Grapes are an ideal snack fruit for the afternoon, evening or on the go. You can always eat the grape in between. A bunch of grapes during the visit looks too inviting to pass up; the bowl is empty quickly. Grapes fit well in a fruit salad together with apple, orange, banana, kiwi and pineapple. Anyone who likes snacks can put a grape on top of a block of Dutch cheese.