Most people who are dieting look for options that satisfy their urge for sweets. Grapes can do that and even help you lose weight. They contain no fat, are high in fiber, and contain numerous nutrients. Those nutrients include copper, vitamins K, B1, B2, B6, C, and E, potassium, and manganese. A whole cup of grapes is only 104 calories.
The Resveratrol in grapes may accelerate weight loss.
Grapes contain antioxidants that have the potential to aid in weight loss. There are links between inflammation and oxidative stress that lead to obesity. Grapes are an anti-inflammatory food that also contains antioxidants. Antioxidants help reduce oxidative stress that affects all parts of the body. It can lead to diabetes, insulin resistance, and other health issues. Studies show that one antioxidant found primarily in red and purple grapes, resveratrol, can dramatically improve the potential for weight loss. It causes cells to turn food into energy rather than store it as fat. It also helped improve insulin resistance which can cause abdominal fat.
Grapes are high in sugar, yet improve insulin resistance.
Grapes have a medium to low glycemic index—GI, which means it doesn’t raise blood sugar levels quickly. The dramatic peaks and valleys of blood sugar can lead to insulin resistance. That doesn’t mean you can eat bushels of grapes daily without a problem. Studies show that consuming grapes helped improve insulin sensitivity, protected the cells in the pancreas that created insulin, improved insulin production, and increased the number of glucose receptors on the cell membranes so it used the calories for energy rather than storing it as fat.
Grapes may suppress your appetite.
Getting adequate sleep is one way to help control your appetite, but so is eating grapes. The anthocyanins in grapes may help suppress the appetite, reducing food intake. Anthocyanins also have an anti-obesity effect. In rat studies, rats fed a high-fat diet and given anthocyanins had less liver fat and gained less weight. There are still few human studies in this area but one thing is certain, grapes pose only benefits and no health hazards.
- Lack of sleep can cause the body to produce more ghrelin, the hunger hormone, and less leptin, the satiety hormone. Eating grapes can increase melatonin and promote a better sleep-wake cycle.
- While grape juice contains many of the same nutrients as grapes, it doesn’t have the fiber that can fill you, so you eat less. Always choose the whole fruit.
- Studies show resveratrol in grapes activates genes that can slow aging. It also helps protect the cells from oxidation, slowing the aging process.
- Consuming grapes is good for all parts of the body. Eating them can improve memory and cognitive thinking. It can benefit eye and heart health. The potassium in grapes can help lower blood pressure.
For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness