Need a quick snack or breakfast to fuel up? Well, the grape smoothie can help. Grapes easily add a nice dose of vitamin C and some other much-wanted antioxidants that keep your cells healthy and help avoid chronic diseases along the way.
They are easy to pack for lunch and even better after a workout. Not only are grapes fun to eat, but they also can make a great nutrient-rich smoothie that is beneficial to your health.
Grapes have many health benefits that make them a perfect choice for a more satisfying and healthier diet. The grape smoothie is an easy way you can nourish your body with important nutrients.
The perfect way to know the precise ingredients in your smoothie is by making them yourself. You only need a blending machine, fruits, and a base like milk, yogurt, or water.
Fascinating Health Benefits of Grapes
Heart Health
Grapes contain polyphenols that reduce the danger of heart disease and support a healthy heart. Polyphenols promote the relaxation of the blood vessels, maintaining a healthy flow of blood and function. This means that it decreases the inflammation levels in your body. Resveratrol is a known polyphenol found in grapes.
The fiber found in grapes also helps lower cholesterol levels, preventing cardiovascular disease. As your digestion improves, the liver jerks cholesterol from your blood to build more bile acid, reducing the volume of bad cholesterol.
Flavonoids can also aid in protecting your heart against blood clots, reducing the damage done by the high cholesterol level in your blood. A specific flavonoid known as rutin, found in grapes, acts as the inhibitor to the protein which is accompanied by the clot.
When a certain protein known as PDI (Protein Disulfide Isomerase) is inhibited, it blocks blood clots. This may lead to reduced risks of heart attack and stroke. A cup of grape smoothie can provide you with up to 25% of your daily vitamin K requirements. Research proposes that vitamin K may reduce the risk of heart disease.
Diabetes
When it comes to diabetes, grapes have anticipatory properties. Grapes do not elevate blood sugar levels, but they significantly increase insulin levels. If you are diabetic, you can eat grapes or even prepare a grape smoothie.
Studies have discovered that a higher consumption of complete fruits, mainly grapes, was considerably associated with a lower risk of Type 2 Diabetes.
This means that selecting foods with low insulin response rates, like grapes, can inhibit insulin resistance distinctive to Type 2 Diabetes.
Digestion/Colon Health
Grapes contain fiber, which helps ensure smooth digestion. One cup of grapes contains 5% of your day-to-day fiber needs, but when joined with other high-fiber foods, it can make a huge transformation in your consistency as well as your colorectal health.
High-fiber content in your diet reduces the danger of hemorrhoids and diverticulitis (small painful pouches on the colon). A grape-enriched diet upholds a healthy colon.
Strong Bones
Grapes contain vitamins and minerals that contribute to your general health. Vitamin K, found in grapes, plays an important role in keeping the bones strong and avoiding fractures or breaks, especially for your kids.
Vitamin K increases the efficiency of osteocalcin (a protein involved in bone mineralization) and promotes a healthy calcium balance.
Beneficial Antioxidants
They contain antioxidants such as resveratrol that help in slowing down the aging process of important genes in your brain, heart, and other organs and muscles.
Resveratrol can also aid in reducing the damage done at the cellular level, meaning fighting free radicals. Free radicals are molecules that steal electrons from other cells, causing cell damage and disruption, which can contribute to diseases. Resveratrol is mainly found in the skin of grapes.
Weight Loss
If you want to lose weight, you can eat foods such as grapes, which are low in calories. Research shows that eating flavonoid-packed grapes helps maintain a healthy weight.
Blood Pressure
If you experience high blood pressure, eating grapes is the best way to disavow the effects of sodium in your body. A study shows that one cup of seedless green grapes contains 175 milligrams of potassium, one cup of red grapes contains around 290 milligrams of potassium, and one cup of black grapes contains around 200 milligrams of potassium.
Grape Smoothie Recipes
Banana Grape Smoothie
Preparation time: 7 min; serves two
Ingredients
- 1 cup seedless red or black grapes
- 1 banana, frozen, sliced
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- 1/3 cup vanilla yogurt
Instructions
- Add grapes and the frozen banana to the blending machine.
- Then add milk and the yogurt.
- Blend until smooth. Make sure all your ingredients are completely combined to reach the consistency you want.
- Pour the smoothie into the serving glasses and serve.
Tip: If you don’t have a frozen banana, you can use a fresh one, but you have to add 4 ice cubes.
Strawberry Grape Smoothie
Preparation time: 6 min; serves three
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup seedless watermelon
- 1 cup green grapes
- 1 cup red grapes
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- 1/2 cup ice cubes
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients into your Vitamix container in this order: watermelon, green grapes, red grapes, strawberries, and ice cubes.
- Turn your blender on and slowly increase to the highest speed using the tamper to press your components into the blades.
- Mix until your desired consistency is reached.
- Pour the prepared smoothie into serving glasses and serve.
Grape Smoothie
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 cups red seedless grapes
- 1 cup frozen Greek vanilla yogurt
- 1 cup frozen almond milk
- 4 ice cubes
- 3 tablespoons honey (if desired)
Instructions
- Put all your components into your blending machine.
- Mix until smooth. Make sure all your components are completely combined to give the consistency you want.
- Pour the prepared grape smoothie into serving glasses.
Blueberry Grape Smoothie
Preparation time: 10 minutes; serves two
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup white grape juice
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 cup red grapes, seeds removed
- 2 cups ice cubes
Instructions
- Put all your components into your blending machine.
- Blend on medium speed for about 10 seconds, then on the highest speed for about 30 seconds.
- Mix until your desired consistency.
- Pour the prepared grape smoothie into the serving glasses.
- Drink right away.
Pineapple Grape Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh pineapple, chunked
- 1 cup grapes, seeds removed
- 3 ounces Greek vanilla yogurt
- 1/2 banana, fresh, peeled
- 4 ice cubes
Instructions
- Place the pineapple, vanilla Greek yogurt, crushed ice, grapes, and banana into your blender.
- Whisk until healthy, combined, and smooth. Wait for around 30 seconds.
- Pour the prepared grape smoothie and serve.
Strawberry Pineapple Grape Smoothie
Preparation time: 5 minutes; serves two
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup fresh strawberries
- 1 cup red grapes
- 1 cup chunked fresh pineapple
- 4 to 5 ice cubes
Instructions
- Put all your components into a high-powered blender such as Vitamix.
- Tighten the lid and mix on whip speed until all your components are completely combined.
- Pour into the serving glasses and serve.