Nutritional Facts About Concord Grapes

Author
by JENNIFER DLUGOS

Bunches of fresh grapes are a common sight in American grocery stores, but the Produce for Better Health Foundation reports that most grape varieties originated in other areas of the world. One of the few fruits native to North America, Concord grapes provide a rich flavor and color to grape juice, jellies and wines, and research shows that the antioxidants in these tiny fruits help to prevent chronic diseases.

Healthy and Sweet

According to the Dr. Bruce Reisch, a professor in the Department of Horticulture at Cornell University, Concord and seedless Concord grapes look and taste similar, but the two varieties are not related. The skin of the Concord grape releases easily from the flesh, making it a slip-skin grape variety. If you need to quiet a sweet tooth, 1/2 cup of Concord grapes contains only 30 calories, 0 grams of fat and only 7 grams of sugar. Concord grapes provide a small amount of fiber, 0.8 gram per cup.

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Vitamins and Minerals

The Produce for Better Health Foundation reports that 1 cup of Concord grapes contains only a small amount of vitamin C, 8 percent of the recommended dietary allowance. One cup of grapes has 13.4 micrograms of vitamin K, a critical nutrient for blood clotting. The Institute of Medicine recommends 90 micrograms of vitamin K a day for most adults, and 1 cup of grapes provides 15 percent of this recommendation. Concord grapes do not provide a significant amount of iron, calcium or zinc.

Grapes and Heart Health

Concord grapes provide flavonoids, powerful antioxidants that may decrease your risk of heart disease. Many studies used Concord grape juice or extract, but fresh grapes provide the same antioxidants. A study published in 2000 in the “Journal of Medicinal Food” compared the antioxidant function of Concord grape juice and orange juice. The study found that Concord grape juice had stronger antioxidant activity and reduced the effect of LDL, or bad cholesterol, in the blood. A study published in 2001 in “Circulation” showed that antioxidants from purple grapes, such as Concord varieties, decreased platelet function, which may lower the risk of a stroke or heart attack.

Other Benefits of Grapes

Preliminary research suggests that the antioxidants in Concord grapes may protect against cancer. A study published in 2010 in the “Journal of Food Science” discovered that Concord grapes inhibited angiogenesis, a natural process that makes new blood vessels from existing vessels. Angiogenesis supports the growth of a baby during pregnancy and recovery from injuries, but it also grows new blood vessels to feed and metastasize a cancerous tumor. Concord grapes may also boost your immunity. A study published in the “Journal of Medicinal Food” in 2011 found that participants who regularly drank Concord grape juice had more white blood cells in their bloodstream than participants in the control group. Doctors do not recommend eating grapes or drinking grape juice as a treatment for cancer or any other condition, but eating Concord grapes as part of a healthy diet may provide health benefits.

For further information log on website :
http://www.livestrong.com/article/113196-nutritional-concord-grapes/

How to Make Homemade Concord Grape Juice

Author
by FERN FISCHER

The dark purple grape juice sold in your local supermarket is most likely made from Concord grapes or a blend that includes Concords. Concords are sweet, with the familiar grape taste. If you don’t have grapes in your own garden, you can buy Concord grapes at your grocery store or look them at pick-your-own farms. An electric juicing machine makes short work of processing the grapes into juice; simply follow the instructions for your machine. However, if you are without a juicer, the old-fashioned juice-making method requires only simple cooking and straining.

Step 1

Wash the Concord grapes under cold running water.

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Step 2

Remove the grapes from their stems, as well as any stray leaves or tendrils that may be present.

Step 3

Place the clean grapes into a large pot and crush them slightly with a large spoon or potato masher. The object is to break the grapes' skins so that the juice will flow quickly from them.

Step 4

Add 1 cup water per gallon of crushed grapes to the pot.

Step 5

Simmer the grapes over low to medium heat for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Skins, seeds and pulp will separate and float in the juice.

Step 6

Strain the grapes through a jelly bag or juice strainer into a clean bowl. If you don’t have a jelly bag or juice strainer, line a colander with two or three layers of cheesecloth or a layer of clean muslin, set it over a large bowl and pour the juice through.

Step 7

Discard the stems, skins and pulp.

Step 8

Sweeten the grape juice to taste by stirring in sugar, honey or other sweetener while the juice is hot; this will allow the sweetener to dissolve easily.

Step 9

Pour the grape juice into containers and refrigerate.

Things You'll Need

• Fully ripe grapes
• Large lidded pot
• Long-handled spoon
• Potato masher, optional
• Juice strainer/jelly bag

For further information log on website :
http://www.livestrong.com/article/441436-how-to-make-homemade-concord-grape-juice/

What Are the Health Benefits of Black Seedless Grapes?

Author
by JESSICA LEWIS 

Black grapes, velvety colored and deliciously sweet and juicy, can be consumed fresh and raw, dried as raisins or as a juice. Rich in nutrients, black seedless grapes are similar in taste and texture to red or green grapes, but because of their skin color, they have a higher antioxidant content. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends between 1 1/2 and 2 cups of fruit each day as part of a balanced diet, and eating black grapes will help you meet that goal.

Anthocyanins

Anthocyanins found in black grapes can help control obesity. Photo Credit Purestock/Purestock/Getty Images

Anthocyanins are the flavonoid compound that gives black grapes their dark color; the darker the fruit, the higher the anthocyanin content. A natural antioxidant, anthocyanins protect your body from damage from free radicals, produced as your body breaks down food, reducing the risk of cell damage and death and potentially slowing down the aging process. A study published in the 2010 "Annual Review of Food Science and Technology" found that anthocyanins may help reduce inflammation and cancer activity, alleviate diabetes and control obesity.

Polyphenols

Polyphenols also are present in high concentrations in black grapes. Photo Credit Ingram Publishing/Ingram Publishing/Getty Images

Polyphenols also are present in high concentrations in black grapes. One of the most widely found and consumed natural antioxidants, they occur mainly in fruits and plant-based drinks, including juices and red wine made from black grapes. A 2005 publication of the American Society for Clinical Nutrition cites polyphenols as preventing cardiovascular diseases, cancers and osteoporosis. They may also help prevent neurodegenerative diseases and certain types of diabetes. Most of the studies were in vitro or animal experiments, however, so the research isn't conclusive.

Low Glycemic Index

Grapes won't cause dangerous blood sugar level spikes for diabetics. Photo Credit AndreyPopov/iStock/Getty Images

According to “A History of Food,” black grapes have a lower glycemic index than other grapes. While "Harvard Health Publications" cites the average GI for all grapes as 59, black grapes, according to “A History of Food,” have a GI of 43 to 53. The lower the GI is, the less effect the food has on your blood sugar and insulin levels. This means grapes won't cause your blood sugar levels to spike, which, in addition to being dangerous for diabetics, can lead to energy highs and crashes.

Resveratrol Content

All grapes contain resveratrol. Photo Credit Andy Dean/iStock/Getty Images

A phytonutrient, resveratrol is present in high concentrations in all grapes, including black grapes. A natural antioxidant, resveratrol may be useful in increasing lifespan and preventing the growth and development of cancer cells. But the majority of studies of the substance have been done on yeast, insects and animals, so the effect of resveratrol in humans isn't yet understood. Some scientists believe it may be the resveratrol content of red wine that makes the “French Paradox” possible -- low levels of cardiovascular disease among the French despite high levels of cigarette smoking and saturated fat in the typical French diet.

For further information log on website :
http://www.livestrong.com/article/413667-what-are-the-health-benefits-of-black-seedless-grapes/

Czy warto stosować instrumenty finansowe w programach rozwoju obszarów wiejskich?

Author

Barbara Wieliczko

Problems of World Agriculture / Problemy Rolnictwa Åšwiatowego, 2016, vol. 16, issue 31

Keywords: Financial instruments; that is mainly loans and loan guarantees as well as venture capital are more and more strongly present in different areas of the EU policy. Since the programming period 2007-2013 such instruments can also be a part of the rural development programmes. However; so far only few countries have made use of these instruments. At the same time the assessment of implementation of these instruments indicates that the benefits from introducing such forms of support are significantly smaller than the initial expectations; what is partial a result of the EU regulations not fully adjusted EU regulations. It also seems that potential beneficiaries are not interested in taking advantage of these instruments. This can be due to a lack of knowledge about the way such financial instruments function. Seeing a steadily declining interest in investment preferential credits we can assume that in Poland financial instruments would not meet with a large interest among farmers. / Synopsis. Instrumenty finansowe; czyli przede wszystkim kredyty i gwarancje kredytowe oraz kapitał założycielski są coraz silniej obecne w różnych obszarach polityki UE. Od okresu programowania 2007-2013 mogą być również elementem programów rozwoju obszarów wiejskich. Jednakże dotychczas niewiele państw skorzystało z takiej możliwości. Jednocześnie ocena stosowania tych instrumentów wskazuje na to; iż korzyści z wprowadzania takich form wsparcia są znacznie mniejsze od początkowych oczekiwań; co w części wynika z nie w pełni dostosowanych rozwiązań regulacyjnych UE. Wydaje się również; iż potencjalni beneficjenci nie są zainteresowani korzystaniem z takiej pomocy; co może wynikać z braku wiedzy o funkcjonowaniu takich instrumentów. Patrząc na stale malejące zainteresowanie inwestycyjnymi kredytami preferencyjnymi można przypuszczać; iż w Polsce instrumenty finansowe nie spotkałyby się z dużym zainteresowaniem rolników.; Agribusiness; Agricultural Finance; Community/Rural/Urban Development; Farm Management; International Relations/Trade (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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http://purl.umn.edu/235464 (application/pdf)

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Farm Management Analysis in Paddy Granary Areas in Enhancing On-Farm Income

Author

R. Terano, M. Zainalabidin and R. Golnaz

AGRIS on-line Papers in Economics and Informatics, 2013, vol. 5, issue 1

Keywords: Income inequality between rural and urban areas is a persistent issue that has been frequently studied and discussed with the hope of introducing or improving schemes that would lead to closing the gap between these two areas. Traditionally; paddy farmers have been mired in poverty and their livelihood has largely relied on on-farm income. In rice granary areas; on-farm income has played an important role in providing rural livelihood among paddy farmer households. Since on-farm income has played an important role in the rural livelihood; it is important to comprehend the influential factors determining on-farm income of the paddy farmers and find solutions to improve their income level and enhance future agricultural developments on the main granaries. We attempt to find out confronting problems in relation to on-farm income in the paddy sector by concentrating on paddy granary areas in Kedah; Selangor and Terengganu. This paper tries to grasp the characteristics of farm management and reveal influential determinants of gross return per hectare in value term in the three paddy granary areas while computing the benefit-cost ratio. The sample farmers were interviewed to gather information on the individual farm management practices in each area and farm management analysis was employed to analyze the obtained information. The Cobb-Douglas production function was used to indicate the significant factors influencing the farmers’ income. The result shows that there are different characteristics of gross return from paddy in each studied granary area. The usage of pesticide; fertilizer and seedling method directly influence the gross return per hectare from paddy farming.; Community/Rural/Urban Development; GA; IN (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations View citations in EconPapers (1) Track citations by RSS feed

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http://purl.umn.edu/148105 (application/pdf)

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RESPONSE OF NIGERIAN CASSAVA EXPANSION INITIATIVES TO CLIMATE CHANGES, ECONOMIC GROWTH AND SOME POLICY INSTRUMENT (1970-2012)

Author

Onwumere Joseph and Ichie Victoria Adanma

International Journal of Food and Agricultural Economics (IJFAEC), 2, vol. 1

Keywords: This study considered the limiting response of Nigeria cassava expansion initiative to climate changes; economic growth and some policy instruments. The presidential initiative to make cassava a foreign exchange earner as well as ensuring that national demand are satisfied has made cassava a significant economic crop and resource input of industrial and international status. Currently; its derivatives such as animal feed; starch; ethanol; cassava chip; cassava flour; cassava liquor etc are in high demand. Having gained international recognition some factors need be examined to ascertain the limiting response of this economic crop some exogenous factors. The specific objectives of interest were to ascertain the response of cassava output expansion to rainfall; temperature; imports; exports; credit allocation to agribusiness; exchange rate; nominal interest rate; inflation and GDP from 1970 – 2012. Also; it examined the short and long run effects of these variables to cassava output so as to know how much adjustment it makes to reach the equilibrium. Secondary data were used for this research work. The technique of data analysis was auto- regressive modeling regression. To capture the long run and short run dynamics of cassava output behavior; the error correction model (ECM) using the Engle-Granger methodology was adopted. The result revealed a very high rate of adjustment to long run equilibrium and the variables are correlated which means that impact of each variable on cassava output behavior in the economy is inseparable. The Error correction coefficient of -0.975 measures the speed of adjustment towards long run equilibrium earned the expected negative sign and is statistically significant at 1% risk level. Thus; this study recommends that the emerging cassava economy of Nigeria would be adequately empowered for efficient productivity if the Government stipulate policies that will encourage domestic output expansion to meet the national and foreign demands while avoiding increase in inflation; importation of goods and services and proper checks and balances of the increase and decrease of temperature and rainfall using effective and efficient metrological centre.; Agricultural and Food Policy; Community/Rural/Urban Development; Political Economy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
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