Photo by Smleon.

The Greeks knew it: grapes are the food of the gods. They even named a god, Dionysus, after this ambrosial fruit. Perhaps the Greeks knew what scientists and researchers are just discovering today:

Grapes are loaded with Flavonoids, including powerful compounds called quercetin, resveratrol, and anthocyanins. These Flavonoids are powerful antioxidants that give grapes, and other  colorful fruits and veggies, their lovely deep purple color. White grapes also have beneficial properties, but red grapes have a much higher content of antioxidants including flavinoids anthocyanins and resveratrol.

Grapes are also great  sources of;

• manganese
• vitamin B6
• thiamin (vitamin B1)
• potassium
• vitamin C.

If the delicious crunch of tart grapes isn’t enough, here are some more reasons to pop a grape or two next time you have a sweet tooth!

Lower your risk of heart disease, heart attack and strokes!

• Flavonoids decrease platelet aggregation and enhance Nitric Oxide release which prevents blood clots.
• Resveratrol has been shown to protect against arterial wall damage by decreasing oxidation of LDL cholesterol that blocks and damages the arteries. (LDL cholesterol is not harmful in and of itself, it only becomes dangerous once it has been oxidized, damaged by free radicals)
• Resveratrol helps to prevent hypertension by inhibiting the release of endothelin 1, a potent blood vessel constrictor.
• The flavonoids and vitamin C in Grapes help to strengthen connective tissue, preventing the rupture or leakage of blood vessels and capillaries.

Lower your risk for cancer, especially colorectal and breast cancer!

• Resveratrol has been shown to decrease tumor activity by inhibiting cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1), an enzyme that converts arachidonic acid to pro-inflammatory substances that stimulate tumor-cell growth.
• Anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins in grapes appear to inhibit cancer proliferation by synergistically working together to suppress the growth of an enzyme called, human DNA topoisomerase II,  which is necessary for the spread of cancer cells.

Lower your risk for Alzheimer’s and other Neurodegenerative Diseases;

• Studies suggest that Resveratrol lowers levels of amyloid-beta peptides which are found in the plaques that are present in the brains of patients with Alzheimers disease.

I could go on and on about the health benefits but I think you get the idea!

As always, it’s always best to buy organic to reduce carcinogenic effects, toxic load on your liver and the environment, but it is even more important to choose organic  when it comes to the “Dirty Dozen”, the Top 12 foods with the highest level of pesticide residue.  If you can’t buy organic, always by grapes grown in the US, as imported grapes are among the top 12  with the most pesticide residue.

Dr. Nishant Rao is a co-founder of WellWire.com. He is a well-traveled naturopathic doctor and new father, practicing an integrative approach to create wellness in and around Los Angeles. Become a patient or discover his practice.

Photo by Jean Sébastien Roy.

It’s hard to keep up with the latest and greatest foods. One day it’s a tropical acai berry and the next it’s a synthetic vitamin packed energy drink. So when patients ask me how much they should be eating, and of which superfoods, I tell them to eat from the rainbow.

Here’s my general rule: eat as many different colors of fruits and vegetables as you can. Each color corresponds to a powerful group of pigments called bioflavonoids. These amazing pigment molecules give us all the beautiful colors in fruits and vegetables: red, orange, yellow, purple–all the colors except for green.

The red-purple-blue part of the spectrum corresponds to anthocyanins, the pigments that make red grapes, blueberries, and beets so healthy. The yellow portion of the spectrum is pigmented by anthoxanthins, which make chocolate and onions so beneficial.

Bioflavonoids are power-packed anti-oxidants! They counter-act and neutralize the gazillions of free-radicals formed when you process food, breathe in air, and metabolize. Without the anti-oxidant pigments found in fruits and vegetables, the free-radicals would be unleashed within your body’s cells damaging your tissues, creating inflammation, leading to chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer, and speeding up the aging process. One of these anti-oxidants, quercitin, even allows people with certain types of  asthma and seasonal allergies to breathe better.

Here are a few yummy examples from the food rainbow:

• Red – bell peppers, rhubarb stalks, cherries, red cabbage
• Orange – carrots, yams, pumpkins, citrus fruits
• Yellow – onions, corn, yellow squash
• Blue/purple –  beets, blueberries, red grapes, purple corn, purple potatoes

This list is abbreviated, as it’s only a general guide. But take a trip down to your local farmer’s market or grocery store and choose as many different colors of fruits and vegetables as you can. It’ll brighten your day, your meal and your health.

Gibran Ramos, L.Ac. completed his six year training and internship in Naturopathic and Chinese Medicine at National College of Natural Medicine. Mr. Ramos helps patients transform their lives and optimize their well-being at Northwest Natural Medicine in Milwaukie, Oregon.