There’s nothing better or easier than popping a few cold grapes in your mouth on a hot August day.  The little burst of juice and flavor explodes in your mouth and tickles your toes… or is it just me?  It must not be, because grape consumption is up and increasing every year! In fact, in 1970, the average person consumed 2.9 pounds of grapes each year.   Today it is reported that the average person eats about 8 pounds of grapes each year!

That’s fantastic news for our health.  Grapes are considered a “superfood.”  While the term is thrown around a lot, it remains true for the mighty grape.  A superfood is generally considered to be a natural food that is nutrient-dense and has minimal calories. Experts agree that integrating these superfoods into a balanced diet will have significant benefits for your overall health and heart.

The health benefits of grapes start right within the skin, where they contain phytonutrients — plant chemicals that contain disease-preventing compounds. Then, the health benefits extend to the fruit’s array of polyphenols, powerful antioxidants that fight a wide variety of cancers, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease. 

The complex carbohydrates in grapes can give you a much-needed energy boost! Try reaching for a bunch mid-afternoon instead of stopping for a caffeine buzz. Most athletes will attest to the benefits of grapes as a pre-workout snack!

I’m sure you’ve heard drinking red wine (in moderation, of course) is good for you. There’s a real scientific reason behind this statement. Although most of us hear red wine is good for our hearts…and pop goes the cork! The fact is that grapes contain polyphenols that suppress atherosclerosis. What is that? Just a fancy term for a type of heart disease that results from a buildup of cholesterol in the artery walls of the heart and brain… and that’s no good! 

Truly the list goes on! Grapes are a super choice for our health and the health of our loved ones. They are readily available and great low-cost snacks compared to some prepackaged snacks, which will remain nameless.  So go ahead and eat the whole bunch!

Our growers are thrilled with the new crop of extra large red seedless grapes hitting the shelves.  Thanks to the recent cooler nights, essential for deeping the color of red seedless varieties, we are  now harvesting Scarlet Royal, Krissy, and Allison grapes.  They are not only beauties, but boast a high brix.

Not to be overlooked, is the green grape.  We have a robust inventory that includes the tangy and crunchy Ivory, Valley Pearl, and Sweet Globe varieties. This grape selection will certainly meet our cravings through the last days of summer and fill our lunch sacks into the fall.