Eating a healthy diet and staying active are key to supporting your immune system. It is especially important to add plenty of fruits and vegetables to your daily diet. As you look to guide your family to healthier snacks, you may be surprised to find a familiar favorite on the list of immunity boosting foods: grapes.
Grapes’ Benefits for Immunity
Grapes, often overshadowed by powerhouses like blueberries and broccoli, have a lot of benefits to offer, and they are often much easier to get your kids to eat. Similar to berries, grapes of all colors are a natural source of beneficial antioxidants and other polyphenols that strengthen your immune system and promote healthy cell function. Great sources of both vitamin C and potassium, grapes help keep your immune cells healthy, giving your body what it needs when threats arise. Grapes are also a particularly refreshing fruit because of their high water content, helping keep you hydrated and healthy. With both a low glycemic index and low glycemic load, grapes won’t spike your blood sugar like some other fruits.
Red Grapes and Resveratrol
One of red grape’s antioxidants is getting a lot of attention for its health benefits. Resveratrol, found in the skin of grapes, is a strong anti-inflammatory antioxidant, helping keep the body from cycling into a constant state of high alert and stress. This antioxidant aids the production of T cells and helps keep you from a cytokine storm. It manages both the immune system’s immediate response and the adaptive immune system that learns from past infections, keeping you safe from becoming re-infected. Its benefits go far beyond the immune system, ranging from promoting brain health to helping manage diabetes. Resveratrol is one of the antioxidants which put red wine on the health professionals’ radar.
Adding Grapes to the Menu
Grapes make a refreshing snack with a crisp, juicy texture, but fresh grapes are also a heart-healthy, immune-boosting snack. These small, round fruits have more than 1,600 plant compounds, boasting an assortment of both antioxidants and polyphenols which help support the health and function of your cells. Grapes are so versatile, too. They make a great snack, pair well with other fruit, or make a great addition to a salad or main dish. Try adding grapes to dishes with dark leafy greens, cauliflower, broccoli, whole grains, legumes, and lean proteins. Grapes go with all of them!
As you work to make your family’s menu healthier and full of immune-boosting foods, consider grapes, a family favorite. You can find a variety of recipes loaded with grapes to build your immunity here. A healthy diet and healthy body can be easy with grapes.
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