Plump, juicy and sweet — welcome grapes into your life

Fabulous eaten alone, strewn into a tasty green salad or sat on top of a freshly made fruit cheesecake, the humble grape enjoys a versatile life.

There are more than 8,000 varieties of grape in the world in seven different colours: red, green, white, black, purple, blue and golden.

Enjoy these eight fruity facts before planning your next grape-infused recipe.

1. Grapes have been thought to have healing properties since ancient times.
2. In China, grape drinks were mixed with frogs, snakes and other animals in order to cure illnesses.
3. America’s oldest known living grapevine is in North Carolina and is more than 400 years old.
4. Grape beverages have been made from grapes since 5,000BC.
5. Did you know? About a quarter of the grapes used in the US come from Chile.
6. While grapes are 80% water when picked ripe, when they are dried and become raisins the water content is just 15%.
7. It is thought grapes were discovered by the Spanish. Explorers introduced the fruit to America about 300 years ago.
8. They're actually berries! Yes, grapes are a kind of berry. They have a leathery covering and a fleshy inside, similar to blueberries.

Suitable for kids

Grape juice is particularly suitable for children above all because it kills bacteria and works positively on appetite and sleep.

Thanks to resveratrol, the enzyme found in grape skin (hence wine) and its high amount of vitamins and minerals,  grape juice is a good antioxidant and mineraliser, which helps fight fatigue, detoxifies, has anti-cancer properties and even has beneficial effects on memory.