Grape Juice For Weight Loss

If you haven't given grape juice a thought since the days you drank it alongside graham crackers after school, you might want to consider picking up some on your next trip to the supermarket. Though there are wrong ways to use it, consuming juice or other grape-based foods can help you lose weight.

Misconceptions

There's a popular misconception out there that juice dieting, also known as juice fasting, is a good way to lose weight. These diets advocate consuming nothing but water and juices, including grape juice, for an extended period of time, usually a week to 30 days.

There are two problems with juice fasting diets. First, according to MayoClinic.com, successful weight loss requires permanent changes to your lifestyle, not temporary changes such as avoidance of solid food. Second, long-term fasting can cause irregular heartbeat, disrupt your immune system and cause kidney or liver damage, according to the American Cancer Society.

Types and Nutrition Facts

Even though juice fasting isn't healthy, grape juice itself can be, as long as your limit your portions. A 1 cup serving of a popular brand of white grape juice, made from light-green grapes, contains 150 calories and provides 130 percent of the daily value of vitamin C, according to the Fat Secret nutrition information database. Concord grape juice, made from dark concord grapes, has identical nutrition information, reports Fat Secret. Because grape juice is a bit high in calories, consider mixing with sparkling mineral water or serving over ice, both of which help limit your consumption.

Benefits of Vitamin C

Nothing can derail a diet like fatigue. When you're tired, it's all to easy to hit the vending machine for a sugary, caffeinated soda or order a high-fat latte at your favorite coffee shop. The vitamin C in grape juice can help with that. Individuals who consume at least 400 mg or more of vitamin C per day report less fatigue than those who consume less than 100 mg, reports Selene Yeager in her book "The Doctor's Book of Food Remedies." However, be aware that vitamin C can only do so much. You'll still need to get enough sleep.

Considerations

Even though grape juice is a healthy food, it does have some draw backs. Juicing removes all the fiber from foods, according to the American Cancer Society. That's a problem, because fiber provides bulk, fills the stomach and takes time to digest, which can help you maintain a feeling of fullness, reports MayoClinic.com.

Alternatives

If you'd like to avail yourself of the health benefits of grapes, which may include heart disease protection as well as vitamin C, according to Mayo Clinic cardiologist Martha Grogan, you can do it without losing the fiber. You can eat simply eat whole grapes or use them to make grape smoothies. See the Resources section for a grape smoothie recipe.