Grapes are not notable for their nutrient
content--the table grapes that we eat fresh have only low to
moderate amounts of vitamins and minerals. But some varieties are
good sources of vitamin C. Their juiciness and natural sweetness,
combined with a low calorie count, make them an excellent snack and
dessert food.
The grape is one of the oldest cultivated fruits:
Fossils indicate that the cultivation, or at least the consumption,
of grapes goes back to early times, perhaps to the Neolithic era.
Hieroglyphics show that Egyptians were involved in grape and wine
production, and the early Romans were known to have developed new
varieties. And, of course, the grape is mentioned in the Old
Testament as the "fruit of the vine."
Today, although modern equipment is employed in
certain aspects of grape growing, much of viticulture (as
grape-growing is called) is still done by hand. Grapes grow on woody
vines that are not raised from seeds, but are propagated from
cuttings or grafted onto existing rootstocks. The vines must be
staked or trellised as they grow, to support the heavy bunches of
fruit. Leaves and shoots are pruned from the vines and, depending on
the variety, the flower clusters or the berries themselves must be
thinned by hand to improve the quality of the fruit.
Grapes develop
sugar as they ripen, but will become no sweeter once picked, so
timing the harvest is of the utmost importance. And to ensure that
they reach the consumer in full, handsome clusters, table grapes are
harvested by hand. Grapes intended for processing can be removed
from the vines with mechanical pickers.
MonaVie
Ingredients: Acai berry,
pomegranate,
white grape,
nashi pear,
acerola, pear,
aronia,
purple grape,
cranberry,
passion fruit,
banana, apricot,
prune, kiwi,
blueberry,
bilberry,
camu camu,
wolfberry,
lychee,
Cealdrin &
Glucosamine
