 True Name/ Common Name: Grapes
Grapes belong to the Genus Vitis and there are many species that are cultivated. Description of Look and Flavor:
A twisting green-leafed vine that is grown on support structures in long straight rows. The fruit grows in bunches, typically cone-shaped, and ranges in color from green, to red, to dark purple. Grapes are one of the sweetest fruits on the planet and they provide a lot of quick energy in a small amount of fruit. Growth Period/ Harvest – grape season typically runs from early summer to late fall when the cold begins to return. Nutritional Info –Red wine has recently been accepted as the explanation of the French Paradox. That being why they don’t have a high rate of heart disease despite the amount of animal fat they consume. 3 – 4 glasses of red wine per week is now recommended by doctor’s to reduce cholesterol, and also to potentially fight cancer and nerve disease. Other Uses – medicinally grapes can be used to reduce fever as well as lubricate the bronchia to ease chest pain from coughing. History – Grapes are the oldest fruit known to man and its uses can be dated back at least 6,000 years. Even though doctors have only recently given grapes credit as a medicinal fruit, the Greek philosophers praised red grapes and red wine as a healer long ago. The Apostle Paul had it right in the beginning when he told Timothy to take a little for your stomach's sake and for your infirmities(1 Tim 5:23) Myths and Legends – Though it is more of a rumor than a myth, some people claim that the “pips,” or seeds, can actually grow in a person’s stomach to the point that the tree will produce its own fruit. Then the fruit eventually ferments and gives the person a perpetual drunk feeling. I don’t know who started this rumor, but it sounds more like wishful thinking than a plausible occurrence to me. Interesting Facts/ Misnomers -
-Wild grapevines are considered a nuisance because they grow rapidly and choke out other species
- Some products use grape juice as a sweetener so they can still claim “no sugar added” or “100% natural.”
- According to the FDA there are 75,866 square kilometers in the world dedicated to the production and cultivation of grapes.
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