"Curly tendrils, winding vines, Leaves climbing high upon the trellis, Purple gems hang in clusters, Round and plump, dripping with juice." This nursery rhyme vividly describes a delicious fruit—the grape. Grapes come in early, mid, and late-season varieties. In northern regions, varieties begin ripening as early as July, while southern areas see even earlier harvests, extending through late October. This makes grapes one of the fruits with the longest fruiting season.Now is the perfect season to enjoy grapes.
I. Eating Grapes Without Spitting Out the Skins
"Eat grapes without spitting out the skins, or else you'll spit out grape skins without eating grapes." This widely known tongue twister raises the question: Should you spit out grape skins when eating grapes? The answer aligns with the rhyme: "Eat grapes without spitting out the skins."The skin is the part of the grape with the highest dietary fiber content. Adequate fiber helps maintain regular digestive rhythms and supports gut health. Beyond that, grape skins contain beneficial phytochemicals like tannins, tannic acid, and resveratrol. Purple grape skins also hold anthocyanins—natural antioxidants highly sought after by women.It is precisely this abundance of phytochemicals that gives grape skins their characteristic tart and astringent taste. Eating Grapes: Spit Out the Seeds While grape skins are edible, consuming the seeds is not recommended. Recently, a nutritional supplement called "grape seed extract" has gained popularity in the market. Its primary active ingredient is the antioxidant proanthocyanidin, and it comes at a premium price.Consequently, some friends around me started eating grapes without spitting out the seeds, insisting on chewing them thoroughly before swallowing. However, this practice not only fails to extract proanthocyanidins from the seeds but also introduces toxic substances into the body. Grape seeds contain a compound called cyanogenic glycosides, which are water-soluble and convert into toxic hydrogen cyanide under the influence of stomach acid.While hydrogen cyanide may sound unfamiliar to many, it becomes clear when identified as the deadly culprit in bitter almonds. Though grape seeds contain less cyanogenic glycosides than bitter almonds, it's best to avoid practices with no benefits and potential risks.
III. Should You Scrub the White Wax Off Grapes?
The "white wax" on grape skins is a protective coating secreted by the fruit to prevent moisture loss, withstand arid conditions, block UV radiation, and ward off pathogens. Beneficial not only to the grapes but also to humans, this wax has been proven to possess liver-protective, anti-cancer, and antiviral properties.When eating grapes, it's perfectly fine to consume the skin along with the bloom.
Worried about pesticide residue on grape skins? Here's a handy washing tip:
1. First, separate large bunches into smaller clusters.
2. Choose a container large enough to fully submerge the grapes, then fill it with clean water.
3. Add 1-2 drops of dish soap and stir thoroughly.
4. Submerge grapes and gently rub the surface and stem area, taking care not to damage the fruit. Rinse for 1-2 minutes.
5. Rinse grapes under running water, drain, and enjoy!
Based on the principle of like dissolves like, any organic pesticide residues on the grapes will dissolve in the detergent. Keeping the grapes and stems intact prevents residues and detergent from entering the fruit and contaminating the flesh. Finally, rinsing under running water removes the detergent. While some of the natural "bloom" may be lost due to the detergent, this ensures the grape skins are safer to eat.