Appearance & Taste

In appearance, red grapes are small, soft, juicy and roundish-oval in shape with a dark maroon colour to them. They feature a semi-translucent flesh encased by a smooth skin and contain either edible seeds or no seeds at all. In taste, the red grape is generally sweet, juicy and refreshing.

Where It Comes From

Currently Italy, France, Spain, United States, Mexico, Chile, Balkans, South Africa and parts of South America are among some of the largest commercial producers of grapes.

Health Benefits

Red grapes are excellent sources of manganese and good sources of vitamin B6, thiamin (vitamin B1), potassium, vitamin C and also are rich in antioxidants.

The skin of a grape contains an array of polyphenols (type of antioxidant). One important polyphenol in grape skin is called resveratrol (a plant-specific enzyme), which some claim, reduces the chance of heart disease. Grapes are the most abundant source of this health-promoting enzyme.

Uses

• Red Wine is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermentation of unmodified red grape juice.
• Grapes can be attractive additions or centres of attention in fruit salads, tarts, curries, and jams
• When carefully dried, they become raisins
• To make juice, nectars and drinks
• Grape seeds are sold in health shops as a supplement of antioxidants
  

Fruit Facts

• While grapes have grown wild since prehistoric times, evidence suggests they were cultivated in Asia as early as 5000 BC.
• The grape played a role in numerous biblical stories, being referred to as the "fruit of the vine”
• Grapes were pictured in hieroglyphics in ancient Egyptian burial tombs.
• During the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations, grapes were revered for their use in winemaking.

How to prepare to eat

1. Not much preparation required, just pick, wash and eat.