Grape seed

We hear about grape seeds most often in the context of oils. The liquid extracted from the seeds is suitable for everything: toning the sensitive skin around the eyes, nourishing parched hair, aromatic massage and even cooking.

Is this really so and how best to use the product, read further in the article.

General characteristics

Grapes are a genus of plants that belong to the Grape family. The most significant species is cultivated grapes. It is this plant that serves as a raw material for winemaking, as well as for the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.

Biological Description

The plant forms long shoots, which are called the vine. The seed appears in the first year of germination of the miniature shoot. From the formed buds, elongated, dense and well-developed vines grow throughout the year. Plant growth occurs due to the alternation of powerful elongated and shortened shoots. Agronomists and horticulturalists are accustomed to cutting grapes short, so this alternation is usually imperceptible. The processes of flowering and fruiting of the plant occur once a year.

The flowers of grapes, as a rule, are small, collected in inflorescences, forming a panicle and a complex brush. They can be bisexual or divided into true male or true female. Most varieties have bisexual flowers.

Grape fruits are round or egg-shaped berries, which are united by one loose or dense bunch. The color of the fruit depends on the variety of the plant. Several seeds are hidden inside each grape, but there are also seedless varieties, for example, white sultanas.

Grapes are a non-waste product, because both the pulp and the seeds are used by humans. It is added to food, face and body cosmetics lines, and is also used in medicine.

Is it possible to eat grapes with seeds

Most fruit pits and plant seeds that a person can chew do not pose a serious danger to a healthy body. One of the myths that shrouds this issue is the risk of appendicitis. In theory, the bones can really provoke inflammation of the appendix of the caecum, but the likelihood of such a development of events is minimal. Doctors do not focus on this and do not attribute grape seeds to the main causes of appendicitis. ^[1].

The appendix most often becomes inflamed in two cases: due to mechanical blockage and kink ^[2]. A less common cause is an accidental ingestion of a foreign body that cannot be digested.

Moreover, even if the body is not able to qualitatively assimilate the entire bone (for example, due to illness), then a person can help himself by carefully chewing the product. The bone rarely enters the body whole, we chew it and thereby facilitate the work of the digestive tract.

Bones are rich in fiber, tocopherol (vitamin E), and minerals. They help cleanse the stomach and also speed up the metabolism. Moreover, the bones are considered conditionally clean. They are inside the berry and are protected from pathogenic bacteria.

Apricot, cherry, peach and plum pits, like grapes, should not be eaten in large quantities. They contain the substance amygdalin, or, as it is also called, vitamin B17. Information about its anticancer activity turned out to be falsified, after which the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) banned the use of the component due to its high toxicity. ^[3].

What you need to know about grape seed oil

This vegetable oil is a by-product of winemaking. It is used in several industries:

• cosmetology (for the manufacture of care products for the face, hair and body);
• medicine (for the production of drugs with antioxidant action, normalization of blood pressure/cholesterol levels/function of the organs of vision, improvement of brain activity, treatment of attention disorders);
• cooking (for frying, baking and salad dressing).

The popularity of the product has increased significantly over the past few years due to the demand for proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. From the shelves with organic products, oil migrated to ordinary sunflower oil, which is not inferior either in terms of varieties or in the number of producers.

Features of the chemical composition

The plant product has a high antioxidant activity. It contains three important vitamins at once: retinol (A), tocopherol (E) and ascorbic acid (C). Another important element worth mentioning is chlorophyll. It brings the epithelium into tone and starts the process of restoration of both external and internal damage. In addition, chlorophyll contributes to the prevention of kidney stones.

The calorie content of grape seed oil is 899 kcal per 100 g of product. Nutritional value is represented by the following indicators: proteins – 0 g, fats – 99,9 g, carbohydrates – 0 g ^[4].

The composition of the product includes from 0,8% to 1,5% of unsaponifiable substances. They are rich in phenols (tocopherol) and phytosterols (beta-sitosterol, campesterol, stigmasterol), which have a beneficial effect on the human body. ^[5].

Useful properties of the product

The basis of grape seed oil is unsaturated fats. Is this good or bad? Modern society is just beginning to learn the basics of nutrition. Most people think that fatty foods are a direct source of waist fat and don’t see the difference between deep-fried fat and grape seed oil. Let’s deal with the second.

Unsaturated omega fats make our blood vessels elastic, regulate cholesterol levels, and also activate blood circulation. They are also responsible for external attractiveness: they make the skin of the face radiant, hair strong, teeth white, and nails long.

Unsaturated fatty acids abound in fish and seafood, but not everyone can afford the Mediterranean diet on a daily basis. The same “omegas” can be found in cheaper plant foods, such as grape seed oil. Its benefits are as follows ^{[6] [7]}:

• improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system, prevents the development of heart pathologies;
• strengthens the walls of blood vessels and increases their elasticity;
• regulates the level of cholesterol, prevents the formation of plaques and blood clots;
• accelerates metabolic processes, increases the percentage of absorbability of useful nutrients;
• has a regenerating effect;
• beneficial effect on the female reproductive system: helps to establish lactation, relieves pain during the menstrual cycle and menopause, supports the body during pregnancy;
• helps to increase libido in men, improves the functioning of the prostate gland;
• improves the protective function of the body;
• helps to fight acne and post-acne (with proper individual dermatological approach).

Product Use Areas

Cosmetology

The herbal ingredient is added to cosmetics to moisturize (not nourish) the skin. It gives it a velvety structure, fills it with vitamins / minerals and envelops it with a pleasant sweet smell. The product is often used for aromatherapy and as a protective pre-shave nourishment.

The component can be used not only in the salon, but also in home care. Scrubs, moisturizing day / night creams or shampoos are prepared on its basis. If the first two products require only a flight of fancy and compliance with the needs of the skin, then with homemade shampoo it is more difficult: it should foam, not clog pores and thoroughly rinse the hair. But the formula for such a tool is quite simple: mix the necessary ingredients with a basic mild soap. For example, Castile is perfect for normal hair.

The main thing is to thoroughly massage the scalp when applying shampoo. The oil saturates the epidermis with tocopherol, vitamins and collagen. These components contribute to the tone, rejuvenation of the skin and the formation of a silky hair structure. The base mild soap helps to neutralize the oily effect, so washed hair will be smooth, silky and free of sticky lipid film.

If you used to constantly use sulfate shampoos, then the transition to natural cosmetics will be long and possibly laborious. The main thing is to evaluate the reaction of the hair, wash it more often with organic products and give time to adapt to the new beauty ritual.

Grape seed oil is a medium comedogenic product. ^[8]. What does it mean? Comedogenicity is one of the characteristics of cosmetic products. It determines the ability of cosmetics to cause the formation of comedones. The more the ingredient pollutes the skin and clogs the pores (which prevents the free removal of toxins through the epidermis), the higher the degree of comedogenicity.

The specifics of the effect of a comedogenic or non-comedogenic ingredient depends on the individual characteristics of the skin. For example, comedogenic coconut oil can cause acne on oily skin, but nourish dry skin well. The same story with grape seed oil. To determine if your skin needs this particular product, test it and follow the advice of a dermatologist.

Cookery

Grape seed oil has a subtle sweet taste and rich nutty aroma. This combination perfectly complements vegetable salads, meat / fish dishes. Even the usual pasta will open from a completely different side if you add new vegetable oil to the gravy. Based on the product, traditional sauces such as mayonnaise are prepared, it is added to pastries and confectionery.

Grape seed oil has a high smoke point of 216°C ^[5].

Heat treatment does not change the composition of the product and does not make it toxic. This vegetable oil is excellent for relatively harmless frying, baking and deep-frying.

The product is resistant to oxidation, so its shelf life is an order of magnitude longer than that of other vegetable oils – it is 12 months from the date of manufacture. Before opening the container, the product is best stored at room temperature, avoiding ultraviolet exposure. After opening, put the container in the refrigerator: low temperature will not affect the composition, aroma, taste and consistency of the product. ^[9].

Medicine

Grape seed extract is added to medicines due to the abundance of polyphenolic compounds with powerful antioxidant properties. In addition, their useful properties are as follows:

• strengthening the connective tissue of arteries, capillaries and veins;
• improvement of blood microcirculation;
• removal of edema;
• prevention of blood clots;
• pressure normalization;
• elimination of varicose veins.

This component is also included in medications to stimulate brain activity, as well as drugs taken for attention disorders, age-related visual impairment and destruction of the retina.

How to choose a herbal product

There are two methods of manufacturing the product – hot extraction and cold pressing. ^[5].

The first method involves extracting oil from the stone using a special solvent – an extractant. It is chosen based on the base raw material: it should not be mixed with the finished oil. During cold pressing, the seeds are crushed, pressed and the oil is literally squeezed out of them. The process takes place at low temperatures.

Nutritionists claim that hot extraction kills all the beneficial properties of the product, making it harmful to the human body. Cold pressing, on the contrary, is as safe as possible both for the chemical composition and for preserving the useful properties of the finished product.

Always use cold-pressed vegetable oils for cooking.

Give preference to oils that are stored in glass containers. This is a kind of confirmation of the safety of the product. It is desirable that such a container be dark, which allows you to additionally protect the product from exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

Sediment may form at the bottom of the container. This does not always indicate poor quality, an expired sale period, or improper storage conditions for the goods. Often the sediment is formed due to fat oxidation – this is a natural process that does not affect the quality of the oil. If the liquid is slightly warmed up or left at room temperature, the precipitate will disappear.

The color of grapeseed oil should be dark green or yellow. The hue can vary depending on the amount of plant pigment chlorophyll: the more it is, the greener the liquid ^[9]. If possible, evaluate the aroma of the oil: it should be light, nutty with bright vegetable notes. It is best to refuse a product with a putrid or repulsive odor.

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