What Happens to Your Body When You Eat Grapes Every Day

From continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) that monitor blood sugar for those with diabetes to smartwatches and smart rings that claim to monitor blood glucose for everyone else (and which the FDA warns should not be used for blood glucose monitoring), social media has been flooded with rumors about what foods spike blood sugar levels. Grapes have recently fallen under the microscope, with some health influencers claiming that those who have prediabetes or diabetes—or those who want to lose weight—should limit or avoid grapes altogether.

We already tapped dietitians to clear up that myth—yes, you can eat grapes if you have diabetes (and you should, if you like them!). 

“Grapes are a type of fruit that can certainly fit in a balanced, healthy diet,” says Elizabeth Shaw, M.S., RDN, CPT, a registered dietitian nutritionist, founder of Shaw Simple Swaps and author of Air Fryer Cookbook for Dummies.

But how often is the sweet spot, and what happens when you eat grapes daily? 

Health Benefits of Grapes

In addition to counting as one of your daily fruit servings and boosting energy by way of calories from carbs, here’s what may happen when you eat grapes daily—or as a regular part of your diet.

You’ll Increase Your Antioxidant Intake

Grapes of all colors contain antioxidants, including gut-friendly, circulation-supporting polyphenols and anthocyanins, which have been shown to help protect against chronic inflammation, diabetes, certain cancers and heart disease, according to a 2022 review article in Nutrients.

All grapes are strong sources of antioxidants—and the amounts and types of antioxidants vary by grape variety, according to a 2022 study published in Foods.

“Grapes with the darker purple or black hue [tend to] contain higher levels of anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant that helps combat free radicals that over time can do damage to your cells and DNA,” says Shaw. But no matter what kind you eat, you’ll score a potent dose.

You Might Improve Your Brain and Heart Health

By fighting off free radicals, antioxidants help protect your heart and blood vessels. And a December 2021 study in the journal Food Chemistry: X confirms that grape intake is linked to a lower risk of heart disease and hypertension. 

“Research is showing that grapes are a ‘functional food,’ meaning they could be considered as a form of medical nutrition therapy. In other words, grapes could be part of a food as medicine prescription to help those with hypertension,” says Shaw. “While more research is needed, it’s exciting to see food being at the forefront of preventive care.”

Strong, well-flowing blood vessels also ensure that your brain is receiving optimal oxygen supply. While further deep dives are needed to verify the results and dig into why this might be the case, Roxana Ehsani, M.S., RD, contributing writer for EatingWell and adjunct professor in sports nutrition at Virginia Tech, points out a small 2017 pilot study published in Experimental Gerontology that found that when individuals with early signs of cognitive decline and memory loss ate 2¼ cups of grapes per day, they experienced improvements in brain function—including attention and memory performance—compared to peers who didn’t eat grapes. Additional research has found that supplementation with Concord grape juice improved cognition in veterans with Gulf War illness, according to a 2022 study published in Life Sciences.

You'll Score Some Vitamins and Minerals 

If you’re not a huge fan of kale, collards, spinach or turnip greens, listen up. “Grapes are a good source of vitamin K, found mostly in dark leafy greens,” says Ehsani. “This vitamin can benefit blood flow and bone health.”

Grapes also contain potassium, which has been shown to help promote heart health and healthy muscle function, adds Ehsani. (For reference, a cup of grapes has about as much potassium as two-thirds of a medium banana.)

While it’s not as much as you’d get from citrus fruit or any of these 6 surprising vitamin C all-stars, you’ll score a bit of immune-system-supporting vitamin C from grapes, too.

You May Sleep More Soundly

Melatonin is the body’s primary sleep-regulating hormone. Our bodies create it—levels slowly increase during the day and peak at night, cueing the body that bedtime is on the horizon. 

Melatonin is also found naturally in numerous foods and drinks, including tart cherries, eggs, cow's milk, bananas, nuts and grapes, per a 2024 study in Food Chemistry.

According to a 2017 article in Food Chemistry, scientists discovered in 2006 that grape skins contain melatonin, which is believed to remain in the grapes even when they’re turned into wine. While it’s certainly not as simple as “eat grapes, snooze well,” a serving of grapes can be part of a multi-faceted strategy to get a better night’s sleep.

Grapes Nutrition

“Grapes are packed with essential carbs, hydration, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and polyphenols,” says Ehsani.

According to the USDA, each 1-cup serving of grapes provides:

• Calories: 104 
• Carbohydrates: 27g
• Dietary fiber: 1g
• Added sugar: 0g
• Protein: 1g
• Total fat: 0g
• Sodium: 3mg
• Potassium: 288mg (6% Daily Value)
• Vitamin C: 5mg (6% DV) 
• Vitamin K: 22mcg (18% DV)

The majority of the energy in grapes comes from carbs, “which is your brain's primary source of energy,” says Ehsani. “Your brain and your muscles love carbs.”

According to the Food Studies Institute, grapes are about 81% water, helping you add to your hydration for the day. With each bunch, you’ll also be inching closer to your fiber intake goals—which fewer than 1 in 10 of us meet, according to the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Plus, you'll score some beneficial vitamins and minerals.

Are Grapes Safe for Everyone to Eat?

While grape allergies are rare, they do exist. Anyone who has been diagnosed with an allergy or intolerance should avoid anything made with grapes. 

In addition, if you're on a blood thinner medication and like to nosh on grapes frequently, it's a good idea to have a conversation with your healthcare practitioner. They may want to adjust your medication since there is some evidence that the resveratrol in grapes may increase the action of these medications, making it more difficult for your blood to clot when necessary, per a 2020 study in Scientific Reports.

Beyond these situations, “there is no reason to avoid eating them daily if you enjoy them,” says Shaw. “With that said, it’s important to eat a variety-filled diet, so consider alternating the color [grapes] you are choosing to reap the rainbow of benefits.”

For kids under age 5, whole grapes can pose a choking risk. If you have a little one at home and are sharing grapes with them, use a knife to quarter the grapes to help them chew and swallow the fruit more easily, says Shaw, a mom herself.

Tips for Enjoying Grapes 

How many food-group servings one needs varies depending on age, activity level, gender and medical history, says Shaw. According to the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, most adults should aim for 2 to 2½ cups of fruit per day.

Making one of those cups of fruit grapes is a terrific option on all or most days if you enjoy eating this superfruit.

“It’s a good idea to stick to one serving,” suggests Ehsani. “Though, if you are a grape lover you might want to have multiple servings on one day every so often, and that’s perfectly OK.”

Remember that it's always a good idea to shoot for a rainbow of colors each week to diversify your vitamin, mineral and fiber intake. Try to mix things up by incorporating citrus, tropical fruits, berries, melons, apples, bananas, pears and stone fruits like peaches, nectarines, cherries, apricots and plums.

There are lots of ways to incorporate grapes into your diet besides eating them fresh by the bunch.

• Add grapes to a cheese or charcuterie board for a sweet complement to the savory elements
• Toss grapes into salads such as a fruit salad or Chicken Waldorf Salad
• Freeze grapes for a no-sugar-added ice pop
• Throw fresh or frozen grapes into your sparkling water, spirit-free drink or glass of wine
• Blend them into a Grape Smoothie
• Roast grapes to top nut butter toast or as part of a sheet-pan dinner
• Simmer them down into Grape Chutney to use as a sandwich spread or as a sauce for chicken, pork or steak
  

The Bottom Line

“Grapes often get a bad rap as being too sweet or sugary, but they are a nutrient-dense fruit and can be included into a healthy diet,” says Ehsani.

Eating grapes has been shown to help support brain and heart health, and the vitamins and minerals grapes provide can bolster immunity, bones and beyond. And thanks to their carb count and high water level, a handful of grapes is a quick, easy and affordable way to boost your energy.

Feel free to eat 1 cup, the equivalent of one serving, each day if you like, reserving the other 1 to 1½ cups of fruit each day for other nutrient-rich fruits.