GRAPES

• Grapes are delicious and easy to eat fruit so making it one of the World’s favorite Fruit among the individuals.
• We called it fruit but looking to the botanical aspect its a berry of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus Vitis.
• It can be eaten fresh as table grapes or they can be used for may other purposes like for making wine, jam, grape juice, jelly, grape seed extract, raisins, vinegar, and also for grape seed oil.
• They are a non-climacteric type of fruit and generally occurring in clusters.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Botanical name- Vitis vinifera

Family- Vitaceae

COMMON NAME- Angoor, Grape, Vitis

Description- 

• Grapes are the type of berries that grows in clusters of 15 to 300 

Color- Crimson, black, dark blue, yellow, green, orange, and pink. 

Shape- Round, Elongated or egg shaped.

DO YOU KNOW??

• You may be surprised to know that – “White” grapes are actually green in color, and are evolutionarily derived from the purple grape. 
• There are round bout 60 species and Approximate of 8000 varieties of grapes that can be found throughout the world.
• Grapes having high water content so making them low calorie food.
• Each fruit of grape comes from a single flower on the grapevine.
• Top producers of grapes – Spain, Italy, China, and Turkey.
• Grapes naturally host yeast on its skin depends on its ripeness.
• Riper the grape is, the more it is good for production of yeast  so ancient people began to use this fruit to make wine. 

Nutritional Facts About Grapes-

Grapes- Water content- 81% water, 18% carbohydrates,1% protein

& having no fat, no cholesterol. 

It contain minerals which are necessary for bone health which includes calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, manganese and vitamin K 

It contains 27% of Vitamin C.

AYURVEDIC ASPECT OF GRAPES

Ayurvedic name- Draksha

According to Acharyas of Ayurveda one quote is mentioned- “Draksha Phalottama” i.e. Draksha is best among all fruits. 

Grapes are sweet and slightly sour.

It is used in both the forms- Dry form and Wet Form.

RASA COMPOSITION OR PROPERTIES OF DRAKSHA (GRAPES)

THE DOSHAS EFFECT on VITIS VINIFERA –

• It Pacifies the VATA and PITTA Dosha.

REWIEWING SAMHITAS OR TEXT

There are many medicinal properties of Draksha(Grapes) as described by various Aacharyas in their respective text like Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita, Bhavprakasa, Ashtanga Hridayam and these are mentioned below-

• KANTHYA- Helps to soothe your throat and improve your voice quality.

• VIRECHANOPAGA- It is having Purgative Properties helps in detoxification of body by eliminating the waste.

• KASAHARA- Herbs used to relief cough. 

• SHRAMAHARA- It helps to refresh or regain out of tiredness.

• In Ashtanga Hridayam and Sushruta Samhita it comes under Parushakadi gana.

• In  Bhavprakash Samhita it comes under Amradiphala Varga.

How can GRAPES make you feel great?

Some of the amazing effects of Grapes are-

• Mouthwatering- Delicious in taste

• Hepato -Stimulant

• Fight against inflammation

• Nervine Stimulant

• Refreshes your Confused mind.

• Good for your eyes

• Mitigating the effects of Alcohol.

• Good for your Skin health

• Benefits in your Bone Health

• Excessive thirst

•  Fever

•  Respiratory problems

• Useful in nausea/vomiting

• Gout

• Liver disorders

• Excessive burning sensation

• Dryness

• Emaciation

• Raisins calms the mind

MEDICINAL BENEFITS OF GAPES

• It is used as a liver tonic
• It acts as restorative for many hot Pitta and dry Vata conditions.
• Grapes nourishes the blood and calm inflammation.
• It is an excellent blood tonic and very useful for women during menstruation,pregnancy, post-partum, or breast feeding. 
• It has been suggested as a remedy for low white blood cell count.
• It is been used as a muscle tonic, a bone tonic
• It increases the fertility in both men and women.
• It consist of sour taste of grapes having mild Nervine quality.
• It calms an overworked, irritable or confused mind. 
• Grapes are inbuilt with the ability to calm the mind and also cool the liver makes them especially useful for heat in the eyes (cooling effect), eye strain or tension, and insomnia. 
• Purple or red grapes contain more beta carotene and are especially useful for the eyes. 
• A grape helps to mitigate the effects of alcohol.
• The moistening quality helps to reduce dry rashes & prevent the liver spots.