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Fruit · Grapes
Grapes: Nutrition, Benefits, Calories & Red vs. Green
What a cup of grapes gives you, how red and green grapes compare, what human trials of whole grapes show for blood pressure, blood sugar, the eyes and the brain, how much resveratrol they carry, and how to buy and enjoy them.
Evidence-based42 sources citedUpdated October 16, 2026
The Dr. Axe Score™
Scientific Evidence
7.1/10
Many small placebo-controlled trials of whole grapes, a 30-trial blood pressure review and an observational study of 187,382 adults.
Antioxidant & Anti-Inflammatory
6.4/10
Skin polyphenols, with anthocyanins in red and purple grapes; lower inflammation and oxidative-stress markers in human trials.
Clinical Effectiveness
7.0/10
Our judgment: an easy whole-fruit swap for sweets, linked to lower diabetes risk and a small drop in blood pressure.
Nutrient Density
4.6/10
Copper and vitamin K stand out per cup; the rest come in modest amounts in a fruit that's mostly water.
Why this score?
Why Grapes scores 6.4 / 10
Weighting: Evidence 30% · Antioxidant & Anti-Inflammatory 25% · Clinical Effectiveness 25% · Nutrient Density 20% (7.1×0.30 + 6.4×0.25 + 7.0×0.25 + 4.6×0.20 = 2.13 + 1.60 + 1.75 + 0.92 = 6.40, shown as 6.4). How we score
A transparent, weighted index built for foods. See how it’s calculated →
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Grapes at a glance
Grapes are one of the easiest whole fruits to enjoy every day. A cup of red or green grapes has about 104 calories and 23.4 grams of natural sugar, wrapped in water, a little fiber and a skin full of polyphenols, and human trials of whole grapes link them to healthier blood pressure, calmer inflammation markers and more protective pigment in the eyes.12121315
- Nutrition: copper and vitamin K lead, at 21% and 18% of the daily value per cup
- Red or green: close in nutrients; red and purple skins add anthocyanins
- Diabetes risk: in a large observational U.S. study, three servings a week of grapes and raisins went with a 12% lower risk of type 2 diabetes
- Resveratrol: present in small, food-sized amounts; the grape trials tested the whole fruit
- Main cautions: choking in young children, grape allergy and two medication notes, all in the side effects section
Grapes are the fruit of the grapevine, sold in loose clusters of green, red and black, and they're one of the simplest whole foods you can add to your day. Rinse a bunch, pull a handful from the stem and you have a sweet snack with nothing added to it. The polyphenols in table grapes, the protective plant compounds researchers study, sit in the thin skin you'd never think to peel, and the flesh has almost none.2
In The Biblio Diet, Jordan Rubin and I put grapes on our list of fruits to eat, and we call organic fresh or frozen fruit the best choice.3 Whole grapes also have a long run of human research behind them, from a large observational U.S. study of diabetes risk to trials on blood pressure, gut bacteria, eye health and brain metabolism.
Sugar is not the culprit. It's sugar that doesn't have fiber and nutrients in a whole food form.Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNSFrom 11 Foods with SHOCKINGLY High Amounts of Sugar (Best Sugar Substitutes), The Dr. Josh Axe Show (2024), at 22:43
What are grapes?
Quick answer
Grapes are the fruit of the grapevine, eaten fresh as table grapes, dried as raisins and pressed for juice. The familiar red, green and black table grapes are the European type, Vitis vinifera, in seedless and seeded varieties; Concord grapes and muscadines belong to other grape species.145
USDA's main nutrition record for grapes covers the European type, with Thompson seedless as its example, and the type includes red varieties such as Flame Seedless and Crimson Seedless.12 Newer table grapes such as cotton candy grapes have their own guide. American grapes such as Concord (Vitis labrusca) have a skin that slips off the pulp, which is why USDA files them as slip-skin grapes, and Concord is the grape used in several grape juice studies.64
Muscadines (Vitis rotundifolia) are larger, with thicker skins and colors that run from green to bronze to purple. Technically, they're closer to a multiseeded berry than a grape.35
Grapes in the Bible
Grapes belong to the harvest that Scripture celebrates. The Feast of Booths, or Sukkot, was a time of feasting and thanksgiving for the bounty of fruit, including grapes, pomegranates, olives, dates and figs, and I call muscadines a great representation of biblical grapes.3 The law of Moses even let people eat from a neighbor's vineyard: "When thou comest into thy neighbour's vineyard, then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure; but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel" (Deuteronomy 23:24, KJV).7 They could eat their fill of fresh grapes straight from the vine, as long as they put none in a vessel to carry home.
Our guides to the biblical diet and to Bible foods that heal cover the rest of that table.
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Open the free protocol →Grapes nutrition facts
Quick answer
A 151-gram cup of red or green grapes, about 30 grapes, has roughly 104 calories, 27.3 grams of carbohydrate, 23.4 grams of natural sugar and 1.4 grams of fiber, along with 21% of the daily value for copper and 18% for vitamin K.18 By weight, grapes are 80.5% water.1
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central record 174683 (red or green European-type grapes, raw) at USDA's 151-gram cup; % Daily Value uses FDA reference values.18
| Nutrient | 1 cup (151 g) | % DV | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 104 | n/a | 69 |
| Carbohydrate | 27.3 g | 10% | 18.1 g |
| Fiber | 1.4 g | 5% | 0.9 g |
| Total sugars | 23.4 g | n/a | 15.5 g |
| Protein | 1.1 g | 2% | 0.72 g |
| Fat | 0.2 g | <1% | 0.16 g |
| Copper | 0.19 mg | 21% | 0.127 mg |
| Vitamin K | 22 mcg | 18% | 14.6 mcg |
| Thiamin | 0.10 mg | 9% | 0.069 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.11 mg | 8% | 0.07 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.13 mg | 8% | 0.086 mg |
| Potassium | 288 mg | 6% | 191 mg |
| Vitamin C | 4.8 mg | 5% | 3.2 mg |
| Manganese | 0.11 mg | 5% | 0.071 mg |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 109 mcg | n/a | 72 mcg |
| Water | 121.6 g | n/a | 80.5 g |
A cup's standouts are copper and vitamin K, followed by three B vitamins, potassium and a little lutein.1 Because grapes are mostly water, they count as a hydrating food as well as a sweet one, and 10 grapes come to about 34 calories.1
Red vs. green grapes: which is healthier?
Quick answer
Both are healthy choices, and they're close in calories, sugar and vitamins. In USDA's 2022 analyses, red seedless grapes ran slightly higher in natural sugar and potassium than green seedless grapes, and red and purple skins add anthocyanins, the pigments behind their color, while green skins carry mainly flavan-3-ols.9102
USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods records 2346412 (red seedless) and 2346413 (green seedless), raw, per 100 grams. These 2022 analyses measured a little more sugar and potassium than USDA's older combined record in the nutrition table above, and less copper: 0.081 milligrams in red grapes and 0.061 in green, against 0.127.9101
| Per 100 g, raw | Red seedless | Green seedless |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 77 | 72 |
| Water | 78.2 g | 79.9 g |
| Carbohydrate | 20.2 g | 18.6 g |
| Total sugars | 17.3 g | 16.1 g |
| Potassium | 229 mg | 218 mg |
| Magnesium | 8.6 mg | 7.1 mg |
| Vitamin C | 3.3 mg | 3.0 mg |
At USDA's 151-gram cup, that works out to about 26.1 grams of natural sugar in red grapes and 24.3 grams in green.910
The bigger difference is in the skin. When Spanish researchers analyzed seven table grape varieties, the polyphenols sat in the skin, and the flesh was almost devoid of them.2 The red varieties' skins carried anthocyanins, at 69 to 151 milligrams per kilogram of fruit, while the main polyphenols in the white (green) varieties were flavan-3-ols, at 52 to 81 milligrams per kilogram, along with flavonols such as quercetin and kaempferol.2 A 200-gram serving of unpeeled table grapes, about 1⅓ cups, could provide up to 72 milligrams of polyphenols.2 Pick the color you enjoy, mix them when you can, and eat them skin and all.
What are grapes good for?
Quick answer
Grapes are good for feeding a sweet tooth with whole fruit and for adding copper, vitamin K and skin polyphenols to your day.12 In human studies of whole grapes, they've been tied to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, a small drop in blood pressure, better blood fats, quieter inflammation markers, changes in gut bacteria and denser protective pigment in the eye; all seven benefits are ranked below.1112131415
Where the research stands
This research tested whole grapes, usually in one standardized form. The diabetes study counted grapes and raisins as a single food,11 and one study gave people fresh red grapes,16 but the other trials on this page used freeze-dried powder made from whole red, green and black table grapes, often 46 grams a day, about the same as 252 grams of fresh grapes, or roughly 1⅔ cups.1718 The California table-grape growers' commission supplies that powder and funded several of the trials,17141815 while the diabetes study, the fresh-grape study and the 30-trial blood pressure review report no such ties.111612
| Benefit | Evidence | What was studied | What the research shows | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower type 2 diabetes risk | Moderate | Grapes and raisins, every 3 servings a week | 12% lower risk; 19% lower when they replaced juice11 | Choose the whole fruit over juice |
Blood pressure and blood fats | Moderate | Raisins and grape powder; grape powder vs. a sugar look-alike | Systolic pressure down 2.69 points with raisins and grape powder; triglycerides down 6% to 15%1213 | Juice didn't lower blood pressure |
Inflammation and oxidative stress | Emerging | Daily grape powder for 4 weeks or 30 days, or with a single meal | TNF-alpha and F2-isoprostanes down; IL-10 and adiponectin up in a subgroup1317 | Two of the placebos matched the sugar and calories |
Gut bacteria and the colon lining | Emerging | Grape powder for 2 to 4 weeks; fresh red grapes for 2 weeks | More gut bacteria variety and more Akkermansia; lower cell-growth markers in the colon lining1416 | Some gut shifts lasted 30 days after stopping18 |
Eye health | Emerging | 46 g of grape powder daily for 16 weeks | Macular pigment density went from 0.56 to 0.61 in the grape group15 | Roughly 1⅔ cups of grapes a day |
Brain metabolism | Emerging | Whole-grape formulation for 6 months | Brain metabolism showed no significant decline with grapes but did on placebo19 | Average age 72, with mild cognitive decline |
Muscle strength | Emerging | Daily grape powder for 6 weeks | Better grip strength and walking speed20 | Healthy postmenopausal women |
How do grapes work in your body?
Researchers think the skin polyphenols do most of the work, helping blood vessels relax and calming inflammation signals. The first step below comes from analyses of the fruit itself, and the others were measured in people taking grape powder or whole grape products; how the steps connect is still a proposed pathway.
1The skin carries the polyphenols
In table grapes, the polyphenols sit in the skin rather than the flesh, and red and purple skins add anthocyanins, so you get them by eating grapes whole.2
2Arteries widen more easily
In 24 men with metabolic syndrome, a month of grape powder improved flow-mediated dilation, a measure of how well an artery widens, compared with a month of placebo.21
3Inflammation signals calm down
After four weeks of grape powder, 44 women had lower TNF-alpha, an inflammatory signal, than after a look-alike powder with the same calories.13
4Fewer tightening signals after a heavy meal
In 20 adults with obesity who tried both grape powder and a placebo, grape powder taken with a high-fat, high-carbohydrate meal lowered endothelin-1, a signal that tightens blood vessels, five hours later.22
5Pressure eases a little
Across a review of 30 trials, whole grape products such as raisins and grape powder brought systolic blood pressure down slightly.12
Health benefits of grapes, ranked by evidence
Whole grapes have human research behind seven benefits, ranked here by the strength of that evidence: a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, healthier blood pressure and blood fats, calmer inflammation and oxidative stress, more variety in gut bacteria, more protective pigment in the eye, steadier brain metabolism with age, and muscle strength after menopause.
1
Lower type 2 diabetes risk
Moderate evidenceHuman study3 cohorts · 187,382 adults · up to 24 yearsI've talked on my show about a British Medical Journal study that tied whole fruits, grapes among them, to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.23 The researchers tracked 187,382 nurses and health professionals across three U.S. cohorts for as long as 24 years, and 12,198 of them developed the disease. For every three servings of grapes and raisins a week, the risk was 12% lower. Trading three weekly servings of fruit juice for grapes and raisins went with a 19% lower risk, and fruit juice on its own went with a 7% higher risk.11 The study was observational, so read it as a strong nudge toward whole fruit, the kind of eating a diabetic diet plan is built on.
Study takeaway: every three weekly servings of grapes and raisins went with a 12% lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
Grapes and raisins went with lower type 2 diabetes risk, and fruit juice with higher risk
2
Healthier blood pressure and blood fats
Moderate evidenceHuman studyReview of 30 trials · placebo-controlled trials in 24 men and 44 womenSystolic blood pressure came in lower and arteries widened better after a month of grape powder in 24 men with metabolic syndrome. Each man spent 30 days on 46 grams a day of freeze-dried grape powder and 30 days on a placebo powder, and neither the men nor the researchers knew which was which; their other metabolic syndrome measures didn't differ between the two months.21 A review that pooled 30 trials found grape products lowered systolic pressure by 3.17 points on average, and whole grape products, meaning raisins and grape powder, lowered it by 2.69 points; grape juice didn't lower it, and the reviewers judged the evidence low certainty.12
Grapes moved blood fats as well. In a trial of 44 women, each one took 36 grams of grape powder daily for four weeks and, in a separate four-week stretch, a look-alike powder of fructose and glucose with matching calories. After the grape stretch, triglycerides were 15% lower in the women who hadn't reached menopause and 6% lower in those past it, and their LDL cholesterol came down too.13 My High Blood Pressure Protocol aims for 4,000 to 4,700 milligrams of potassium a day from food,24 a cup of grapes adds about 288,1 and grapes slip easily into a high blood pressure diet.
Study takeaway: in the raisin and grape powder trials of a 30-trial review, systolic blood pressure came down 2.69 points.
Grape products lowered systolic blood pressure in a review of 30 trials
3
Calmer inflammation and oxidative stress
Emerging evidenceHuman study3 placebo-controlled trials · 44 women · 24 men · 20 adults with obesityIn those same 44 women, the grape stretch lowered TNF-alpha and urinary F2-isoprostanes, a whole-body measure of oxidative stress, while the oxidation of their LDL stayed the same.13 In the trial of 24 men with metabolic syndrome, IL-10, an anti-inflammatory signal, and adiponectin, a protective hormone made by fat tissue, rose during the grape month among the 13 men without high triglycerides or low HDL; their placebo carried the same sugar and calories, so the change points to the grape polyphenols.17
A third trial had each of 20 adults with obesity try both 60 grams of grape powder a day and a placebo: taken with a high-fat, high-carbohydrate meal, the grape powder brought down endothelin-1 five hours later, though four weeks of daily use did little to most of their cardiovascular markers.22 Findings like these put grapes among the anti-inflammatory foods worth eating often.
Study takeaway: in a placebo-controlled trial of 44 women, grape powder lowered TNF-alpha and a whole-body marker of oxidative stress.
4
Gut bacteria and the colon lining
Emerging evidenceHuman study3 studies with no comparison group · 19, 29 and 30 adultsIn a study with no placebo group, 19 healthy adults first spent four weeks on a diet low in polyphenols, then added 46 grams of grape powder a day for four more weeks, and the range of bacteria in their guts widened, while Akkermansia became more plentiful. Their total cholesterol came down 6.1%, and their HDL came down 7.6% with it.14 A second study, of 29 healthy adults and again without a placebo group, gave grape powder equal to three servings a day for two weeks: overall variety held steady, but particular bacteria, enzymes and metabolites shifted, and some of the changes were still there 30 days after people stopped.18 Both point to grapes reshaping parts of the microbiome.
The one study of fresh grapes looked further down the gut. Thirty adults cut out grapes and other resveratrol foods for two weeks, then, staying on that diet, ate a third of a pound to a full pound of fresh red seedless grapes a day for two more weeks, with no comparison group, and biopsies showed lower levels of markers of cell growth in the lining of the colon, most of all in people over 50.16
Study takeaway: in 19 healthy adults, grape powder widened the range of gut bacteria and raised Akkermansia.
5
More protective pigment in the eye
Emerging evidenceHuman studyPlacebo-controlled trial · 34 older adults · 16 weeksA trial in Singapore gave 34 older adults either 46 grams of freeze-dried table grape powder or an equal amount of placebo powder each day for 16 weeks, and neither the people nor the researchers knew who got what. Macular pigment optical density, which measures the macular carotenoids shielding the center of the retina, climbed from 0.56 to 0.61 in the grape group, while the placebo group saw no significant rise, even though the two groups ate similar amounts of lutein and had similar lutein levels in their blood. The grape group's blood antioxidant capacity went from 0.26 to 0.36 as well, and advanced glycation end products, a skin measure of damage from sugar, rose in the placebo group but stayed level with grapes.15
Study takeaway: 16 weeks of grape powder raised older adults' protective macular pigment from 0.56 to 0.61.
Macular pigment rose with 16 weeks of grape powder
6
Steadier brain metabolism with age
Emerging evidenceHuman studyPlacebo-controlled pilot · 10 older adults · 6 monthsThis pilot study followed 10 older adults with mild cognitive decline, average age 72, for six months on either a whole-grape formulation or a look-alike placebo with no polyphenols, and neither they nor the researchers knew who got what. Their scores on memory and thinking tests ended up similar, but their brain scans parted ways: in regions affected early in Alzheimer's disease, metabolism declined significantly on placebo and showed no significant decline with grapes.19 A 2022 review of eight grape trials, four with Concord grape juice and the others with grape extracts or this whole-grape formulation, found improvements in some measures of memory and thinking,4 which puts grapes in good company among brain foods.
Study takeaway: over six months, brain metabolism declined significantly on placebo but not in older adults taking a grape formulation.
7
Muscle strength after menopause
Emerging evidenceHuman studyPlacebo-controlled pilot · 15 women · 6 weeksIn a pilot trial, 15 healthy women past menopause took freeze-dried grape powder or a matching control powder every day for six weeks, and neither the women nor the researchers knew who got what; the grape group's grip strength rose compared with the control group, along with their walking speed.20 Grip strength and walking speed are two of the standard ways to track sarcopenia, the muscle loss that comes with age.
Study takeaway: in a six-week pilot, grape powder improved grip strength and walking speed in women after menopause.
Are grapes good for you if you're watching sugar?
Quick answer
Yes, eaten whole and in sensible portions. A cup of grapes has about 23.4 grams of natural sugar, almost all of it fructose and glucose and none of it added, and fresh grapes have tested from 43 to 59 on the glycemic index, low to medium.125
The sugar in a cup divides almost evenly into about 12.3 grams of fructose and 10.9 grams of glucose, delivered with about 122 grams of water and 1.4 grams of fiber.1 The glycemic index measures foods against pure glucose, which scores 100, and anything at 55 or under counts as low.26 Grapes have scored 43 and 49 in tests in people with type 2 diabetes and 59 for black grapes tested in healthy adults, so they sit with the low-glycemic foods or just past the cutoff.25 In a study of 25 adults with obesity, each took a single 46-gram dose of grape powder, equal to about 252 grams of fresh grapes, on one visit and a placebo on another two weeks later, both with breakfast, and neither the people nor the researchers knew which was which. Their blood sugar, insulin and triglycerides over the next seven hours didn't differ significantly between the two visits.27
Reaching for a high-sugar fruit like grapes beats packaged cupcakes or a bag of candy, and if you have diabetes or sugar sensitivity, I advise eating such fruits in moderation.3 On my show, I've called berries the best fruit choice, with more fiber, less sugar and a gentler glycemic effect, and I've put the rest of the fruit bowl this way: "Other fruits like grapes, apples and watermelon are fantastic choices. Go for fruit whenever possible."23 Even natural sugars call for some care.3
My Insulin Resistance & Prediabetes protocol lists candy and desserts among the foods to avoid, and eating carbs on their own among the habits to drop,28 so give grapes a partner with protein or fat: a handful of walnuts or almonds, a little goat cheese or a bowl of plain goat's milk probiotic yogurt.
Three blood tests that show how your body handles sugar
The glycemic index describes how a food behaves on average. These three markers show how your own body has handled sugar over the past weeks and months; they can't pin down what's driving a result or how one food affects you. Targets are Dr. Axe's functional ranges.
- HbA1c: Your average blood sugar over roughly three months. The optimal range is 4.8% to 5.3%.
- Fasting insulin: How much insulin it takes to keep your glucose in range. The optimal range is 2 to 8 µIU/mL.
- Triglyceride-to-HDL ratio: A quick read on metabolic health. Dr. Axe's target is under about 1.5.
See the cellular bloodwork panel
Have results? Analyze them free →Do grapes have resveratrol? Is a supplement better?
Grapes do contain resveratrol, in small, food-sized amounts. In a Spanish analysis of one red table grape variety, a 200-gram serving, about 1⅓ cups, provided about 1 milligram of resveratrol, and 10 days of cold storage doubled the resveratrol compounds in the skin.29
Resveratrol pills are a different product, and their trials use far more. Bone density in the lower spine and hip improved during a year of resveratrol, 75 milligrams twice a day, compared with a year of placebo, in a 24-month trial that 125 postmenopausal women finished; each woman tried both, and neither the women nor the researchers knew which was which.30 In a review of 17 trials of resveratrol supplements, blood pressure fell significantly only in trials using 300 milligrams a day or more and in trials of people with diabetes.31
The grape trials on this page tested whole grapes, fresh or freeze-dried, with their full mix of skin polyphenols, and the whole fruit is the form I'd reach for.32
You're better off eating grapes than taking resveratrol.Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNSFrom Why Restrictive Diets Do More Harm Than Good | Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, The Dr. Josh Axe Show (2024), at 48:06
Is grape juice as good as whole grapes?
Whole grapes are the better choice. In the large observational U.S. diabetes study, fruit juice went with a 7% higher risk of type 2 diabetes for every three servings a week, the opposite of whole grapes and raisins, and in the 30-trial review, grape juice didn't lower blood pressure the way raisins and grape powder did.1112
On my show, I've explained that there's a major difference between eating a whole apple or orange, with its fiber and nutrients, and drinking a glass of orange juice or apple juice, which is basically sugar water.33 Concord grape juice does have trials of its own on memory, covered in the brain benefit above,4 and our guide to whether juice is healthy goes deeper. For everyday eating, choose the fruit. If you take the transplant drug cyclosporine, read the grape juice note under side effects below.
How many grapes should you eat a day?
Quick answer
One cup, about 30 grapes, is a serving, and I suggest three to four servings of fruit a day if you're healthy and active.13
Eating some fruit always beats eating none.3 For anyone dealing with weight gain, diabetes, cardiovascular issues, metabolic syndrome, PCOS, inflammatory conditions or Candida overgrowth, I trim fruit to two servings a day, chosen from my low-sugar list: avocado, lemons, limes, strawberries, blueberries, apples (especially green apples with the skin), blackberries, olives and grapefruit.3
Whatever your number, serve a cup into a bowl and put the rest of the bunch back in the refrigerator.
How to buy, store and enjoy grapes
Choose plump grapes still firmly attached to green, flexible stems, buy organic when you can, and keep them unwashed in the refrigerator until you're ready to eat them.
Freeze a bowlful for a cold, sorbet-like snack on a hot afternoon.
Pair a cup with walnuts or almonds for a snack that brings protein and fat.
Fold halved grapes into chicken salad with celery and mashed avocado.
Pack them for school as one of the easiest healthy snacks for kids, cut into small pieces for little ones.
Buy organic when you can. On my show, I've said to eat organic food as much as you possibly can, starting with meat and then the Dirty Dozen,34 and grapes are fourth on EWG's 2026 Dirty Dozen, the group's ranking of the most pesticide-contaminated produce among the 47 fruits and vegetables it analyzed.35 USDA's 2022 testing found at least one detectable pesticide residue on 94.3% of 706 fresh grape samples, which had been washed and stemmed before they were tested.36
Try seeded grapes and muscadines too. I suggest eating organic fruit that is seeded, low in sugar and high in fiber, and picking up a pack of muscadine grapes if you haven't tried them.3 Muscadine seeds are where that grape keeps most of its polyphenols: 87.1% of them in an analysis of eight Florida muscadine varieties.5
Store grapes unwashed in the refrigerator and rinse them under running water right before eating. For frozen grapes, wash and dry them, freeze them in a single layer on a tray, and bag them once they're firm.
Want help fitting grapes into your plan?
Ask Dr. Axe AI. Answers are grounded in this library, with sources shown.
Grape side effects & who should be careful
Quick answer
For most people, grapes are a safe fruit to eat every day. The things to watch are choking in babies and toddlers, an uncommon grape allergy, and two medication notes: purple grape juice with the transplant drug cyclosporine, and keeping vitamin K steady on warfarin.37383940
Are grapes a choking hazard for kids?
Yes, whole grapes are. The CDC includes uncut grapes on its list of foods that can choke babies and toddlers, and notes that cutting food into smaller pieces helps prevent choking.37 Always cut grapes into small pieces for young children.
Can you be allergic to grapes?
Yes, though grape allergy is uncommon; Italian researchers who studied it noted that few allergic reactions to grapes are reported. One of the grape allergens they identified, a lipid transfer protein, cross-reacts with the matching protein in peaches, so people allergic to peaches can react to grapes as well.38 Learn the food allergy symptoms to watch for, and see the box below for what to do.
Do grapes interact with medications?
Grape juice can. When each of 12 healthy men took the transplant drug cyclosporine twice, once with purple grape juice and once with water, the juice lowered the amount of the drug absorbed by 30%, and the researchers recommended at least two hours between the two; if cyclosporine is one of your medications, confirm the timing with your doctor or pharmacist.39 A review of fruit juices other than grapefruit found none that triggered the severe drug interactions grapefruit juice can.41
On warfarin, the goal is a steady vitamin K intake from one week to the next. A cup of grapes has about 22 micrograms, and in a review of the research, dietary vitamin K appeared to affect warfarin only above about 150 micrograms a day.140
Who should be careful with grapes:
If grapes have ever caused an itchy mouth, hives or swelling, stop eating them and see an allergist; with a peach allergy, check with your allergist before eating grapes
If anything you eat brings on throat swelling, trouble breathing or dizziness, call 911; that's an emergency
The bottom line
Are grapes good for you?
Yes. A cup of red or green grapes gives you copper, vitamin K and a skin full of polyphenols for about 104 calories. A large observational study links grapes and raisins to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, and human trials of whole grapes link them to slightly lower blood pressure, healthier blood fats, calmer inflammation markers and more protective pigment in the eye. Smaller trials add steadier brain metabolism with age and better grip strength after menopause. Whenever you want to satisfy a sweet tooth, reach for fruit; as I've said on my show, it's always going to be better than added sugar or a sweetened dessert.23
Scripture pictures people eating grapes fresh from a neighbor's vine, and fresh and whole, skin and all, is still the best way to enjoy them. Buy them organic when you can, and keep a bag in the freezer for the nights you want something sweet. God designed food to heal our bodies as well as to satisfy our appetites, and a bowl of grapes is one of the simplest ways to live that out.3
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The pressure-lowering plate, the top 10 blood-pressure foods ranked, and a phase that crowds your plate with potassium- and magnesium-rich whole foods. Have recent bloodwork? Analyze it free. Free with your Dr. Axe account (email or Google). You'll also get the protocol's short email series and the Dr. Axe newsletter; unsubscribe anytime.
Open the free protocol →Grapes: frequently asked questions
Are grapes good for you?
Yes. A cup of grapes gives you copper, vitamin K and skin polyphenols for about 104 calories, and in an observational study that followed 187,382 U.S. adults, three servings a week of grapes and raisins went with a 12% lower risk of type 2 diabetes.1211 Trials of whole grape powder also tie grapes to slightly lower blood pressure and healthier blood fats.1213
How many calories are in grapes?
About 104 calories in a 151-gram cup, or 69 calories per 100 grams, on USDA's main record for red and green grapes. Ten grapes have about 34 calories.1
How much sugar is in grapes?
Do grapes have fiber?
What vitamins are in grapes?
Are red or green grapes healthier?
Are green grapes good for you?
Are grapes good for diabetics?
Yes, whole grapes can fit a blood-sugar-conscious diet: in an observational study that followed 187,382 U.S. adults, every three servings a week of grapes and raisins went with a 12% lower risk of type 2 diabetes.11 Fresh grapes tested 43 to 59 on the glycemic index, and I advise eating high-sugar fruits like grapes in moderation if you have diabetes.253 My Insulin Resistance & Prediabetes protocol has you stop eating carbs on their own, so pair grapes with protein or fat.28
Are grapes good for weight loss?
They can help as a sweet swap at about 104 calories a cup.1 In a 2025 review of grape trials, body weight didn't change significantly overall but came down in the three trials of women, by 0.68 kilograms, and in the three trials of people with metabolic syndrome, by 0.62 kilograms.42 In a two-week study with no comparison group, 30 adults who ate fresh red grapes every day lost an average of 1.2 kilograms (2.6 pounds) with no change in their total calories and said they snacked less.16
How many grapes should I eat a day?
Do grapes have resveratrol?
Yes, in small, food-sized amounts: about 1 milligram in a 200-gram serving of one red table grape variety in a Spanish analysis.29 A bone-density trial of resveratrol pills used 150 milligrams a day, about 150 times what that serving of grapes provides, so the pill and the fruit are different products, and I'd choose the fruit.3032
Is grape juice as healthy as whole grapes?
No; whole grapes are the better choice. In an observational study that followed 187,382 U.S. adults, every three servings a week of fruit juice went with a 7% higher risk of type 2 diabetes, while grapes and raisins went with a 12% lower risk, and grape juice didn't lower blood pressure in a review of 30 trials.1112
Should I buy organic grapes?
Are seedless grapes healthy?
Are grapes hydrating?
Can babies and toddlers eat grapes?
Yes, cut into small pieces. The CDC lists uncut grapes among the choking hazards for babies and toddlers, and cutting food into smaller pieces helps prevent choking.37
Freshness & update log
October 16, 2026 — Updated the optimal lab ranges to DrAxe.com's current standard.
October 9, 2026 — Trimmed repeated book references.
October 8, 2026 — Rewritten and re-sourced. Re-pulled the nutrition facts from USDA FoodData Central, which corrects the copper, thiamin, vitamin B6 and manganese values and the vitamin C description, and added USDA's 2022 analyses of red and green seedless grapes; replaced findings from grape seed extract, resveratrol pills, grape juice, red wine, and animal and lab studies with human research on whole grapes, including a large diabetes study and trials on blood pressure, blood fats, inflammation, gut bacteria, the colon lining, eye health, brain metabolism and muscle strength; added how much resveratrol grapes contain next to the doses tested in supplements; removed the longevity, cancer-fighting, antimicrobial and grapeseed oil claims; added the glycemic index, how many grapes to eat, grape juice compared with whole grapes, EWG and USDA pesticide data, CDC choking guidance, grape allergy and medication notes, grapes in the Bible, and the Dr. Axe Score.
References
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. Grapes, red or green (European type, such as Thompson seedless), raw. FoodData Central, SR Legacy, FDC ID 174683 (NDB 09132). Published April 1, 2019.
- Cantos E, Espín JC, Tomás-Barberán FA. Varietal differences among the polyphenol profiles of seven table grape cultivars studied by LC-DAD-MS-MS. J Agric Food Chem. 2002;50(20):5691-6. doi:10.1021/jf0204102
- Axe J, Rubin J. The Biblio Diet. Hachette Book Group; 2025. ISBN 9781546008439. Fruit chapter (sugar in fruit; fruit servings guidance; “Natural Design”; “Our Favorite Fruits: Muscadines”; “Take Action Now”); fruit in the Bible (the Feast of Booths); food lists (“Fruits”).
- Bird RJ, Hoggard N, Aceves-Martins M. The effect of grape interventions on cognitive and mental performance in healthy participants and those with mild cognitive impairment: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Nutr Rev. 2022;80(3):367-380. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuab025
- Sandhu AK, Gu L. Antioxidant capacity, phenolic content, and profiling of phenolic compounds in the seeds, skin, and pulp of Vitis rotundifolia (Muscadine Grapes) As determined by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS(n). J Agric Food Chem. 2010;58(8):4681-92. doi:10.1021/jf904211q
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. Grapes, american type (slip skin), raw. FoodData Central, SR Legacy, FDC ID 174682 (NDB 09131). Published April 1, 2019.
- The Holy Bible, King James Version. Deuteronomy 23:24.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. Grapes, red, seedless, raw. FoodData Central, Foundation Foods, FDC ID 2346412. Published October 28, 2022.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. Grapes, green, seedless, raw. FoodData Central, Foundation Foods, FDC ID 2346413. Published October 28, 2022.
- Muraki I, Imamura F, Manson JE, et al. Fruit consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: results from three prospective longitudinal cohort studies. BMJ. 2013;347:f5001. doi:10.1136/bmj.f5001. Correction: BMJ. 2013;347:f6935 (fruit-juice hazard ratio corrected to 1.07).
- Ashoori M, Soltani S, Kolahdouz-Mohammadi R, et al. The effect of whole grape products on blood pressure and vascular function: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2023;33(10):1836-1848. doi:10.1016/j.numecd.2023.05.001
- Zern TL, Wood RJ, Greene C, et al. Grape polyphenols exert a cardioprotective effect in pre- and postmenopausal women by lowering plasma lipids and reducing oxidative stress. J Nutr. 2005;135(8):1911-7. doi:10.1093/jn/135.8.1911
- Yang J, Kurnia P, Henning SM, et al. Effect of Standardized Grape Powder Consumption on the Gut Microbiome of Healthy Subjects: A Pilot Study. Nutrients. 2021;13(11):3965. doi:10.3390/nu13113965
- Hu W, Zheng R, Feng Y, et al. Impacts of regular consumption of grapes on macular pigment accumulation in Singapore older adults: a randomized controlled trial. Food Funct. 2023;14(18):8321-8330. doi:10.1039/d3fo02105j
- Holcombe RF, Martinez M, Planutis K, et al. Effects of a grape-supplemented diet on proliferation and Wnt signaling in the colonic mucosa are greatest for those over age 50 and with high arginine consumption. Nutr J. 2015;14:62. doi:10.1186/s12937-015-0050-z
- Barona J, Blesso CN, Andersen CJ, et al. Grape consumption increases anti-inflammatory markers and upregulates peripheral nitric oxide synthase in the absence of dyslipidemias in men with metabolic syndrome. Nutrients. 2012;4(12):1945-57. doi:10.3390/nu4121945
- Dave A, Beyoğlu D, Park EJ, et al. Influence of grape consumption on the human microbiome. Sci Rep. 2023;13(1):7706. doi:10.1038/s41598-023-34813-5
- Lee J, Torosyan N, Silverman DH. Examining the impact of grape consumption on brain metabolism and cognitive function in patients with mild decline in cognition: A double-blinded placebo controlled pilot study. Exp Gerontol. 2017;87(Pt A):121-128. doi:10.1016/j.exger.2016.10.004
- Mendez JL, Rodriguez Lanzi C, Quan Z, et al. Daily consumption of polyphenol-rich grape powder improves muscle strength markers in postmenopausal women. Food Funct. 2025;16(12):4719-4730. doi:10.1039/d5fo01523e
- Barona J, Aristizabal JC, Blesso CN, et al. Grape polyphenols reduce blood pressure and increase flow-mediated vasodilation in men with metabolic syndrome. J Nutr. 2012;142(9):1626-32. doi:10.3945/jn.112.162743
- Bardagjy AS, Hu Q, Giebler KA, et al. Effects of grape consumption on biomarkers of inflammation, endothelial function, and PBMC gene expression in obese subjects. Arch Biochem Biophys. 2018;646:145-152. doi:10.1016/j.abb.2018.04.003
- Axe J. 11 Foods with SHOCKINGLY High Amounts of Sugar (Best Sugar Substitutes). The Dr. Josh Axe Show (episode). 2024. Lines cited at 22:15, 22:43 (pull quote), 22:54, 23:13 and 23:21. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KG7_2ZYmHLU&t=1335s
- Axe J. The High Blood Pressure Protocol. DrAxe.com; 2026 (“The Pressure Reset”: potassium from food, 4,000–4,700 mg a day; “Blood-pressure foods, ranked” and “The pressure-lowering plate,” p. 13).
- Atkinson FS, Foster-Powell K, Brand-Miller JC. International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2008. Diabetes Care. 2008;31(12):2281-3. doi:10.2337/dc08-1239
- Atkinson FS, Brand-Miller JC, Foster-Powell K, et al. International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values 2021: a systematic review. Am J Clin Nutr. 2021;114(5):1625-1632. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqab233
- García-Díez E, Cuesta-Hervás M, Veses-Alcobendas AM, et al. Acute supplementation with grapes in obese subjects did not affect postprandial metabolism: a randomized, double-blind, crossover clinical trial. Eur J Nutr. 2021;60(5):2671-2681. doi:10.1007/s00394-020-02451-6
- Axe J. Insulin Resistance & Prediabetes protocol. DrAxe.com; 2026. Phase 1, "Stabilize," p. 16 (avoid list: "Candy and desserts"; "Eating carbs on their own").
- Cantos E, García-Viguera C, de Pascual-Teresa S, et al. Effect of postharvest ultraviolet irradiation on resveratrol and other phenolics of cv. Napoleon table grapes. J Agric Food Chem. 2000;48(10):4606-12. doi:10.1021/jf0002948
- Wong RH, Thaung Zaw JJ, Xian CJ, et al. Regular Supplementation With Resveratrol Improves Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial. J Bone Miner Res. 2020;35(11):2121-2131. doi:10.1002/jbmr.4115
- Fogacci F, Tocci G, Presta V, et al. Effect of resveratrol on blood pressure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized, controlled, clinical trials. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2019;59(10):1605-1618. doi:10.1080/10408398.2017.1422480
- Axe J. Why Restrictive Diets Do More Harm Than Good | Dr. Sarah Ballantyne. The Dr. Josh Axe Show (episode). 2024. Pull quote at 48:06. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U053LO-mzWk&t=2886s
- Axe J. Top 10 Worst Health Trends (That Everyone Thinks Are Healthy). The Dr. Josh Axe Show (episode). 2026. Line at 20:42. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDmz6u5Vt7Q&t=1242s
- Axe J. Cellular Toxicity: The Root Cause of Aging, Inflammation & Chronic Disease. The Dr. Josh Axe Show (episode). 2026. Line at 29:50. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNwVs_gAjBc&t=1790s
- Environmental Working Group. EWG's 2026 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce: The Dirty Dozen. Washington, DC: EWG; 2026.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service. Pesticide Data Program Annual Summary, Calendar Year 2022 (Appendix K, Number of Pesticides Detected per Sample; Appendix L, Samples Reported to FDA). Washington, DC: USDA AMS; 2024.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Choking Hazards. Infant and Toddler Nutrition. Last reviewed March 11, 2026.
- Pastorello EA, Farioli L, Pravettoni V, et al. Identification of grape and wine allergens as an endochitinase 4, a lipid-transfer protein, and a thaumatin. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2003;111(2):350-9. doi:10.1067/mai.2003.35
- Oliveira-Freitas VL, Dalla Costa T, Manfro RC, et al. Influence of purple grape juice in cyclosporine bioavailability. J Ren Nutr. 2010;20(5):309-13. doi:10.1053/j.jrn.2010.01.007
- Violi F, Lip GY, Pignatelli P, et al. Interaction Between Dietary Vitamin K Intake and Anticoagulation by Vitamin K Antagonists: Is It Really True?: A Systematic Review. Medicine (Baltimore). 2016;95(10):e2895. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000002895
- Chen M, Zhou SY, Fabriaga E, et al. Food-drug interactions precipitated by fruit juices other than grapefruit juice: An update review. J Food Drug Anal. 2018;26(2S):S61-S71. doi:10.1016/j.jfda.2018.01.009
- Soltani S, Asoudeh F, Motallaei M, et al. Whole grapes or grape products on body weight, anthropometrics, and adipokines: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2025;76(2):122-133. doi:10.1080/09637486.2024.2449037
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