Grapes are appreciably good for health. They provide a range of nutrients that are essential for the proper functioning of the body. But do you know that consuming large amounts of grapes can cause several negative effects or health risks? In this article, I’ll mention the possible side effects of grapes.
Grapes are generally safe to eat. But overeating them might lead to certain health conditions such as diarrhea, vomiting, stomach upset, gut problems, and some allergies. Besides, few of the nutrients in grapes can give rise to adverse effects, if taken more than the recommended amount. For instance, overdosing the potassium intake can cause kidney problems, or not watching over the carbs consumption can lead to weight gain.
Discover more: What are the Nutritious Benefits of Grapes?
How can Grapes Risk your Health?
Grapes are one of the smallest edible fruits. They are very easy to eat. You don’t need any knife or peeler for grapes you just wash them and eat! Imagine you have a big bowl or a bag full of grapes and you are watching TV or doing your work, you might not even notice and you will munch on all the grapes. Obviously, this is the reason grapes can bring about some serious health issues. To avoid overeating grapes, you should always portion them for yourself instead of grabbing the whole bag.
Get to know: How many mangoes should you eat a day?
Side Effects of Overeating Grapes:
If you eat more than the recommended amount of grapes, you might face the following side effects. However, it’s not necessary that everyone face these ill effects, but it depends on the condition of your health, your diet plan, and many other factors.
Diarrhea
Foods that are rich in sugars might become a cause of diarrhea. Basically, sugars are of four types. Fructose is also one of the types and it can also be found in some fruits. When you eat foods containing a lot of fructose, it can cause diarrhea. Since the body cannot digest too much fructose at a time, consuming more than the recommended amount of fructose results in diarrhea.
Notably, grapes contain a decent amount of fructose hence, overeating grapes lead to diarrhea. Moreover, grapes are unpeeled fruits (consumed with the skin) which is also a reason to cause diarrhea.
Stomach Upset
As I mentioned above, grapes are high in fructose. Our body can’t absorb fructose easily, so consuming too much fructose can cause bloating, stomachache, and gas problems. Furthermore, there is another nutrient in grapes that might cause stomach issues. Fiber is generally a good nutrient for a healthy digestive system, but our body cannot digest it. Thus, consuming large quantities of fiber can lead to indigestion, upset stomach, gas, gut problems, and stomach pain.
So, if you cannot digest too much fructose or fiber, it’s better to avoid overeating grapes.
Allergies
One of the side effects of grapes is allergic reactions. Although it’s rare that grapes cause allergies, still we cannot deny that some people face allergic reactions after consuming grapes.
A research study suggests that a considerable number of people have faced allergic reactions to grapes. A special protein in grapes called grape lipid transfer protein is responsible for these reactions.
The symptoms of grape allergic reactions include the following:
- Tingly or itchy mouth
- Skin rashes like hives and eczema
- Swelling of the lips, face, tongue or throat
- Wheezing or trouble breathing
- Congestion
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Dizziness or fainting
If you are a sensitive person and you feel any risk of reactions to grapes then consume a little portion. But if the allergy is severe then avoid them completely.
Weight gain
Grapes are low in calories. 100 grams of grapes contain 69 calories. However, due to their small size and amazing juicy taste, you may overeat them without even noticing. On top of that, they are high in carbs, so if you are snacking on grapes freely without paying much attention to your calorie count and carbs consumption you may end up gaining weight.
Know more: Yes you can eat mango while on a weight loss diet!
Kidney problem
Another negative effect of overeating grapes is the potassium level. Generally, potassium is a vital nutrient for health, especially cardiovascular health. But overconsumption of potassium can be risky for those whose kidneys are not properly functioning. Because, one of the functions of the kidneys is to remove excess potassium from the blood and if the kidneys are not working properly, it can be dangerous.
Interaction with blood-thinning drugs
Last but not least, the resveratrol in grapes may interact with the blood-thinning medications. Therefore people who use any such drugs should ask their doctors before consuming a large number of grapes.
Conclusion:
Grapes don’t have any adverse effects as long as they are consumed in a moderate quantity and under normal health conditions. Most of the side effects of grapes have to do with their overconsumption. Although the health risks of eating grapes are not very common, still their intake should be in moderation. Because moderation is the key!
Learn about: 8 significant health benefits of pomegranate
Disclaimer:
All the health-related information/articles on bloggeristic.com are generic, provided only for the purpose of general knowledge, and should not be taken as a substitute for the medical advice of healthcare professionals. Please note that this information is based on research but if you have any serious health concerns do contact your doctor.
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