Best to buy
Choose bunches that are somewhat tight, with fresh stems, grapes firmly attached, and skins
intact and without mushy spots. Avoid mold-spotted, wrinkled, raisin-like, or sticky
grapes.
Cut & clean
Keep grapes refrigerated, as they are ripe when they are picked and warmer temperatures will
cause them to wither or ferment. Under refrigeration, grapes will keep for up to two weeks.
Keep grapes on their stems, washing right before serving.
Power food
Grapes are an excellent source of vitamin C.
Also indexed as: Cardinal Grapes, Catawba Grapes, Concord
Grapes, Emperor Grapes, Flame Seedless Grapes, Green Grapes, Niagara Grapes, Red Grapes,
Ribier Grapes, Thompson Seedless Grapes
Grapes can be attractive additions or centers of attention in fruit salads, tarts, curries,
and jams. When carefully dried, they become raisins. Grapes can be crushed as a dessert
topping. They can also be juiced for a refreshing treat.
Buying and storing tips
Choose bunches that are somewhat tight, with fresh stems, grapes firmly attached, and skins
intact and without mushy spots. Avoid mold-spotted, wrinkled, raisinlike, or sticky grapes.
They do not ripen after harvest. Store grapes refrigerated as they are ripe when they are
picked, and warmer temperatures will cause them to wither or ferment. Under refrigeration,
grapes will keep for up to two weeks. Keep grapes on their stems, washing them only at the
last minute before serving, then blot them dry.
Varieties
Grapes are often classified according to their use as table or wine grapes. Vitis
vinifera, grown in Europe and considered the ideal grape for wine production, encompasses
thousands of types. Vitis labrusca and Vitis rotundifolia are primarily
found in North America and include the Concord (dark purple to black) grape, which is used
both as a table grape and to make juice, jellies, and wine. Another popular grape variety in
U.S. markets is the pale green Thompson seedless grape, a variety that accounts for half of
the table grapes grown in California, and that is also used to make over 90 percent of the
raisins in the United States. Other popular table grape varieties include Cardinal (red),
Emperor (bright red), Flame seedless (red), Niagara (green), Catawba (red), and Ribier (jet
black).
Nutrition Highlights
Grapes (red or green, seedless), 1 cup
(160g)
Calories: 110
Protein: 1g
Carbohydrate: 29g
Total Fat: 0g
Fiber: 1g
*Excellent source of: Vitamin C (17.28mg)
*Good source of: Manganese (0.11mg)
*Foods that are an “excellent source” of a particular
nutrient provide 20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value. Foods that are a “good
source” of a particular nutrient provide between 10 and 20% of the Recommended Daily
Value.
The information presented in the Food Guide is for informational purposes
only and was created by a team of US–registered dietitians and food experts. Consult
your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any
supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications.
