Grape Leaves - Natural medicine in the food we eat.

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Hi everyone! My grape vines are growing like crazy this year. They are full of developing bunches of grapes. So so many bunches I wonder if I should remove a few. I know a lot of gardeners who would say clip off 7 out of 10 so the three remaining bunches grow bigger. But I am not going to do that. I am trusting to nature to do what it feels is right. The thought of cutting off bunches is painful to me. These grapes always have the most incredible flavour. So much deeper and fruitier than grapes ever taste when bought from a store!

As well as producing fruit bursting with goodness, did you know that grape leaves are also significantly beneficial for health? They reduce inflammation and contain omega 3 fatty acids, balance blood sugar levels and improve the digestive process being high in fibre. The leaves contain zinc which promotes intestinal health and vitamin C which is well known to boost the immune system. Being a good source of manganese, grape leaves are also valuable to maintain easy moving joints as the manganese is important in the formation of cartilage. They are also rich in potassium which maintains healthy heart function and calcium - responsible for strong bones and teeth. They contain copper which is important in the production of collagen which will promote healthy glowing skin along with Vitamin E also present in the leaves! They have magnesium which is a great muscle relaxant. Is there no end to the benefits? Lol. So we continue…… They contain good amounts of vitamin A, great for the health of your eyes and vitamin B which protects the nervous system. They contain vitamin B6 which is great for cognitive function and reduces the chance of dementia.

How do we incorporate these wonderfully nutritious leaves into our diet then? Well there are many delicious recipes using them to wrap a multitude of fillings - all sorts, for vegans, vegetarians or meat eaters. The absorb the flavours of whatever you stuff them with. It is best to use young leaves as older ones get tough and stringy. They can be eaten raw so juicing a little amount of young leaves into daily raw juice cocktails can only improve their nutritional content. Thanks for reading, I hope this was of some use to you. Wishing you the best day possible!

Originally posted here: https://hive.blog/hive-120078/@sallybeth23/grape-leaves-natural-medicine-in-the-food-we-eat