Muscadine grapes are a little known gem of the grape family. Muscadine grapes are produced primarily in the Southeastern United States. The round, thick-skinned fruit grows in clusters that can contain up to 40 grapes. Muscadine grapes come in a wide variety of colors that includes green, bronze, purple, pink, black and red. Muscadine grapes are well known for their distinctive sweet, musky taste and for their extremely rich nutritional content.
Resveratrol Content
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the skin, seeds and pulp of muscadine grapes contain significant amounts of a compound called resveratrol. Each muscadine grape serving -- 100 g, or 10 to 12 large grapes -- contains approximately 930 ug to 1170 ug of resveratrol. Many of the health benefits associated with eating muscadine grapes are the result of the fruit's high resveratrol content. Resveratrol is an especially powerful antioxidant that can help protect your cells against attack from destructive free radicals. Resveratrol is also believed to help decrease cholesterol levels. According to the North Carolina Muscadine Grape Association, consuming foods high in antioxidants like resveratrol can help reduce your risk of developing dangerous health problems like heart disease and cancer.
Vitamin Content
Muscadine grapes are pumped full of nutritious vitamins that can have a positive impact on your health. Muscadine grapes are a good source of vitamin C. Eating just one serving of muscadine grapes will give you about 6 to 7 mg of vitamin C. Vitamin C is an important vitamin for boosting immune function and for fighting off colds and other infections.
Mineral Content
Muscadine grapes are naturally abundant in necessary minerals such as calcium, potassium and magnesium. Each muscadine grape serving contains about 17 mg to 24 mg of calcium, 163 mg to 167 mg of potassium and 5 mg to 7 mg of magnesium. Calcium and magnesium are important for building strong bones and for preventing the onset of degenerative problems like osteoporosis. Potassium is essential for ensuring proper metabolic and cardiovascular function.
Fiber Content
Muscadine grapes are also a good source of fiber. One serving of muscadine grapes contains about 3 g of dietary fiber. Eating fiber-rich foods like muscadine grapes helps to keep your digestive system functioning properly. The laxative properties of fiber can help prevent and ease digestive problems such as constipation.
Muscadine Grape Products
Muscadine grapes make a healthy, delicious snack right off the vine. However, you can also enjoy the health benefits and delicious flavor of muscadine grapes in products like juice, jellies and jams, pastries and wine. According to the USDA, wine made from muscadine grapes is extremely rich in resveratrol. An article published by the USDA states that eating one-half serving of muscadine grape juice, one serving of muscadine grape jam or one medium-sized muscadine grape muffin can give you around the same amount of resveratrol as you can get from about 4 oz. of red wine.
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