Grapes are very delicious and healthy for the body. It is loved by people of all age groups. Young children in particular love grapes. You can eat them in the raw form and also add them into various desserts. You can eat them in the dried form also as resins and sultanas. Grapes provide you lots of health benefits. But it is also known to have some side effects that many of us are unaware of. You can have them in moderate amounts. But if you consume it daily, it can make you suffer from some side effects.
Side Effects of Grapes are:
Allergy:
Grapes cause allergies very rarely. But it is one of the most serious side effects of grapes. Some people may suffer from grape allergies. Even touching the grapes may cause allergic reactions in them. Some of the symptoms of this allergy are hives, wheezing or difficulty in breathing, red patches, sneezing and so on. In severe cases the person may go into anaphylactic shock shortly after eating the grapes. However, even if you have an allergic reaction, it does not mean that you are allergic to grapes. The reaction can be because of the pesticides sprayed on the grapes or mold that grows on the grapes. You can get an allergen test and make sure whether you are allergic to grapes or not.
Can interact with certain medications:
Grapes are natural blood thinners and can slow down the clotting process of blood. This is one of the benefits of grapes as it can reduce the risk of stroke and keep your cardiovascular system healthy. But if you are already taking anticoagulant (blood thinning) drugs like warfarin, you should not consume grapes in excess. This is because both make your blood thin. This can increase the risk of bruising and bleeding. Grapes can also make the pharmaceuticals like phenacetin ineffective because of their ability to increase the metabolism of liver.
Carbohydrate overload:
Carbohydrates turn into glucose when they reach our body. It is essential for the body. About 45 to 65% of the total calories you consume consist of carbohydrates. If you eat too many grapes it means that you take in excess of carbohydrates. Grapes can cause carbohydrate overload. Carbohydrate overload means a condition in which you get more carbohydrate in your diet than your body require.
So, make sure that you eat grapes in moderation. This way you can avoid carbohydrate overload, which can lead to various health problems like weight gain, bloating, type-2 diabetics, adrenal fatigue and so on.
Gas:
When your body digests grapes, a lot of fructose is released. The fructose produced is broken down in the digestive tract. But a part of this remains undigested and passes to the gut. The bacteria present in the colon feed on these undigested sugars. This results in the release of gas. This can cause bloating as well as flatulence.
Indigestion:
Consuming grapes regularly is good for the digestive system and keeps it healthy. it helps in preventing indigestion, constipation and other digestive issues. But if you eat large quantities of grapes, dried or as raisins and sultanas, it can cause indigestion. This is because of the presence of insoluble dietary fiber in grapes. In some cases it may even cause diarrhoea. People with fructose intolerance may experience pain in the abdomen in addition to indigestion. People with fructose intolerance are advised not to consume grapes as it can harm the functioning of their liver and kidney. Fructose malabsorption is a milder condition, in which the symptoms are the same, but with less intensity.
Vomiting:
If you do not eat lots of fiber regularly, you may feel nauseous when you consume grapes in excess. This is because your digestive system finds it hard to digest all the fiber that is present in grapes. As a result, you feel discomfort in the stomach. This leads to nausea and vomiting in some people. Some preservatives present in grapes may also trigger such a reaction.
Weight gain:
Grapes are low in calories. By consuming 1 cup of grapes, you will gain only 100 calories. So eating grapes does not make you gain weight. But grapes are small sized and very tasty also. So you may eat more grapes than necessary. This means that you take in double or triple of the 100 calories. By consuming grapes in this manner daily, you can gain excess calories. This will cause a gain in weight. So, if you are having grapes as snacks, what you have to do is to pluck some grapes from the bunch and place them in a bowl and eat them. Never sit down with the whole bunch of grapes. This way you may end up eating all the grapes and gain more calories.
Grapes are also rich in dietary fiber. This means that grapes can make you feel fuller for a long time and prevent overeating. This way you will be able to manage your weight. But here also you have to take care not to eat it in excess. If you eat too many grapes, you will end up getting more calories and this can lead to gain in weight.
So, you can see that grapes can cause side effects. But it takes place only if you eat grapes in excess. If you eat it in moderate quantities, it is good for your health and provides you lots of benefits. You can eat grapes as it is or add it to custards or any other such desserts. This will make it more tasty and appealing.
