Many people find it unpleasant when a grape seed gets stuck between their teeth. Aside from having a neutral taste, most people find grape seeds bitter. This is why seedless grape varieties are in great demand. Although there are seedless varieties in nature, these berries are usually very small.
In order to produce seedless grapes with good taste, they are selectively bred and hormonally modified during growth. Specifically, this means: The grape vines are sprayed with gibberellins and auxin during the growth phase. As a result, the fruits do not form seeds, are further apart and are larger when harvested than untreated fruits.
Although the final product is considered safe for human consumption, there is no research on possible long-term effects. But even avoiding grape seeds is not necessarily good for your health.
Grapes with seeds: That’s what makes them so healthy
Of all things, the often unloved seeds of grapes contain health-promoting ingredients. For example, they contain oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPC), which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. They can also help improve heart health and strengthen the immune system.
There are several good arguments for buying grapes with seeds – this is particularly true for blue, red or black varieties. This is because they have a higher resveratrol content than green grapes and also contain a particularly high amount of quercetin. Resveratrol is often praised as a miracle cure for aging because it is said to counteract skin aging and protect cells from free radicals. Quercetin is a plant pigment with similar effects and can also alleviate allergy symptoms because it has anti-histamine and anti-viral properties.
Even healthier: bite into grape seeds
However, you can only reap these health and aesthetic benefits if you occasionally pluck up the courage and chew the bitter grape seeds. In this way, the valuable active and nutrient-rich substances reach your body directly.
Alternatively, you can occasionally treat yourself to a salad with high-quality, cold-pressed grape seed oil, which contains all of these beneficial ingredients and can also be used for skin and beauty care: