ABSTRACT
The glory of grapes was once relegated to enjoying a glass of fine wine. Today, Vitis vinifera L., a perennial woody vine of the family Vitaceae, native to Asia minor, is becoming known as a source of a dietary supplement, exclusive of the health benefits attributed to red wine. Agronomists thought they were doing consumers a favor when they developed seedless grapes, but as it turns out, seed extracts may be the most valuable part of the grape, at least on a weight-to-dollar ratio. Grapes, and their dried counterparts, raisins, are well-known for nutritional benefits, particularly as a source of iron. They are among the oldest cultivated fruits, thought to have originated in the Caspian Sea region of Western Asia. Grapes (and wine) are frequently mentioned in the Bible. They were grown in Egypt at least 6,000 years ago.1 It is estimated that grapes were introduced to Greece between the eighteenth and sixteenth centuries B.C. The common cultivated grape is represented by more than 8,000 named varieties, about 20 percent of which are still grown today. The medicinal value of grapes (often in the form of wine) was also praised by such luminaries of the ancient world as Theophrastus, Dioscorides, Pliny, and Galen.2
