What are grapes for?

What are grapes for?

Grapes have a wide range of utilities for humanity, which are focused on the food industry, and these are:

• Direct consumption
• Making sweets
• Bread making
• Wine production
• Production of raisins
• Production of juices and concoctions
• For rituals
• As a mythological element

Direct consumption

Well washed and disinfected, the grapes can be consumed directly. Grapes are included in the diet of patients in hospitals and in diets , due to their vitamins, high fiber content, antioxidants and natural carbohydrates.

They serve in the preparation of sweets and breads

Grapes are included in sweet preparations with other fruits, such as apple, peaches, mango, among others. Sometimes a little sweetening syrup, such as syrup or honey, is added to this fruit mix.

In addition, they are added to breads and cakes to give them a sweet and sour touch. They serve as decorations that can be eaten.

They are used to produce wines

The grapes, after being harvested from the vine and subjected to a preliminary washing, are taken to crushing for the optimal extraction of their juices . Subsequently, they are left to ferment and the fermented material is taken to copper stills called alembics.

It is a time-consuming process, but it results in a wine with an attractive concentration of alcohol to the sense of taste, and an unforgettable sensory experience.

They are used for the production of raisins

Raisins are a dry fruit , the result of subjecting the grapes to a dehydration process . This is accomplished by subjecting them to the sun or the heat of a heating device. They are obtained as shrunken, wrinkled and darkened fruits.

Raisins have a higher proportion of fiber, since they contain less water. Consuming them directly favors digestion, although prunes are the nuts that surpass them in this effect.

Raisins are added to pastry products in general , salads and desserts, and give them a natural sweet flavor.

Production of juices and concoctions

Grapes are the raw material for many beverages. After being washed and crushed, its juice is extracted as best as possible. Depending on the product in question, the pulp is removed to a certain extent.

Later, the sugars, preservatives and vitamin or complementary additives that are required are added. Well mixed and homogeneous, the finished juice reaches the bottling stage, dosed by electronically programmed valves.

For rituals

Consumed directly, the grapes are used in the celebration of the new year . There is a custom of eating twelve grapes , which represent a personal purpose for each month of the year.

As a mythological element

In Roman mythology, the grape was treated as a symbol of the fertility of the land . The goddess Ceres was thanked for her abundance.

Their product, wine, had its own god, named Bacchus. The ancient Greeks offered ceremonies and festivals to this god, with a desire to remain young and vigorous.

Grape types and varieties

Grapes, fruits of the vine plant, have multiple varieties, from which humanity has benefited. Depending on its characteristics, each grape variety will better fulfill a function.

The grape varieties are the following:

• Vitis acerifolia
• Vitis aestivalis
• Vitis amurensis
• Vitis arizonica
• California vitis
• Vitis cinerea
• Vitis girdiana
• Vitis labrusca
• Monticola vitis
• Vitis mustangensis
• Vitis palmata
• Vitis riparia
• Vitis rotundifolia
• Vitis rupestris
• Vitis shuttleworthii
• Vitis tilifolia
• Vitis vinifera
• Vitis vulpina
• Vine bourquina
• Vitis champinii
• Vitis gratuitiana
• Vitis labruscana
• New-England Vine

To better understand the names of each variety, it should be noted that the first word, ” vitis ” refers to the fact that it comes from the vine plant .

There are several criteria for assigning the second word to the name of the grape, for example:

• The shape of the leaf on the vine: “acerifolia”, “rotundifolia” (the word “rotundifolia” means “round leaf”)
• The place of development of the vine: “arizonica”, “californica” (the word “arizonica” means “comes from Arizona”)
• The season of the year in which it grows: “aestivalis” (the word “aestivalis” comes from “estival” and refers to summer, summer)
• The product that results from processing the grape: “vinífera” (the word means “wine