What Happens If You Eat Grapes Every Day

There's a lot of fearmongering on the World Wide Web, especially as viral videos from so-called health influencers make the rounds. Jessie Inchauspé, otherwise known as Glucose Goddess, described grapes this way: "Actually, it's just a big dose of sugar. It's in the fruit format, so people think it's good for them" (via Facebook). Dr. Steven Gundry, a physician with a substantial social media presence, said that consuming a serving of grapes was comparable to eating a chocolate bar. Though there are content creators clapping back with arguments refuting these claims, it's understandable that you'd be questioning whether you should still be picking grapes at the grocery store.

If you love grapes, there's no need to feel sour — these alarmist statements lack context, and the vast majority of people can eat this sweet-tart fruit every day without issue. The only exceptions would be for individuals with swallowing difficulties (including small children) and those with a grape allergy. Additionally, folks monitoring their sugar consumption and glucose levels (like individuals with diabetes) should take the sugar content into account, but that goes for all fruits and starchy foods.

While grapes do contain fructose and glucose (1 cup has about 23 grams of total sugar), they also have fiber, micronutrients, minerals, antioxidants, and water — the combination of all these vital components allows your body to process that sugar at a reasonable rate. Natural sugars are essential for fueling the body, so fluctuations in glucose levels aren't necessarily a bad thing — glucose is key for brain and cell function. Eating grapes daily provides you with a solid source of copper, vitamin K, and B vitamins, in particular.

Diet is just one element of overall health, and everyone's varying lifestyles and genetic factors mean that each individual has different nutritional needs. In general, though, eating substantial amounts of a wide variety of fruits and vegetables daily is one of the most important ways to maintain your health and prevent disease — and yes, that includes grapes.

The antioxidants and polyphenols found in varying proportions in all colors of this fruit (including sweet cotton candy grapes) can have a wide range of positive impacts on the human body. They contribute to decreasing cholesterol levels, protecting against heart disease, and reducing the risk of some cancers. Certain plant compounds found in grapes can improve vision and help prevent some types of eye disease. These antioxidants and polyphenols have also been shown to decrease insulin resistance, which is a key factor in lowering your potential risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

Plus, grapes just taste good! They're fun to eat and readily available, so they're an ideal snack to reach for when you're trying to eat a variety of colorful whole foods. Though the food pyramid has evolved and trends come and go, it's pretty hard to make the case against nutritious, fresh fruit.