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I was going over some of my pages on Superfoods and realized that I had not included a page about grapes! I just may in the future... have to put that on my ever lengthening "To Do List"! But I did find this interesting article on grapeseed oil by Saeed Sikiru that I thought I would share with you. I found it very interesting because usually the the raw food world we use coconut oil and olive oil. Grapeseed oil is also an excellent choice of good fat and good nutrients.

Here is the article for your benefit:

"Because of its numerous use and benefits, when used appropriately, grape seed oil has lots of health benefits to the body than any other natural fruit oil.

Below are the 7 health benefits of the natural fruit oil to your body.

#1. Nutritious and healthy

The natural fruit oil is very clean, has a light taste in the mouth with a polyunsaturated fat content. As a result, it’s very good for deep-frying, for salad dressings, baking, marinades and stir fries.

It’s widely used by professional chefs in big restaurants and it’s now common to see it in the kitchens of the health conscious folks. Unlike other fruit oils that lose their nutrients when cooking, grape seed oil maintains its nutrients when using it for cooking and that makes it ideal for sauteing and frying.

#2. Skin care

It’s used as an effective ingredient in the manufacture of skin care products especially facial and skin care creams. Because of its thin and light nature, it makes the skin glossy, soft subtle and smooth.

It can serve as a lubricant for shaving and treating acne. When applied on the skin, it sinks in the skin pores instead of remaining on the skin surface. This helps fight harmful compounds and enzymes that cause damage to some connective tissues in your body and that makes it exceptional over other skin care products. It helps tone and tightens your skin and can be used for treating acne and for moisturizing your skin.

If you have stretch marks on your skin, apply grape seed oil on the affected part on a daily basis and you’ll be amazed at the healing power of the natural fruit oil. Because of the said uses, the oil is widely used for massaging in spas and beauty clinics all over the world.

#3. Controls cholesterol levels

One of the most important compounds that your body needs for its normal function is cholesterol. The fruit oil helps regulate your cholesterol level by reducing your LDL cholesterol level also known as “bad cholesterol” and increase your HDL level also known as “good cholesterol.” A consumption of 1.5 ounces of the oil per day will help you maintain a healthy cholesterol level. This is good news to folks who are dealing with cholesterol and heart disease.

#4. Major cosmetic ingredient

Because of its richness in protein, minerals and vitamins, it is used as a primary ingredient in a lot of products like lip balms, body and facial creams, bath oils, hair care products and in most soaps.

#5. Helps in dealing with aging

It contains antioxidants which help destroy harmful compounds that cause cell death and damage DNA – genetic materials – in the body. These harmful compounds cause undesirable health issues such as cancer and heart disease. They also contribute to aging.

When you’re aging, your body begins to produce few collagen and this leads to the creation of blemishes, fine lines and wrinkles on your skin. Using the grape seed extract will help beat your aging process by making you look younger and healthy.

#6. Surgery or injury recovery

Using the seed oil after an injury or a swelling that results from a surgery will speed up the healing process. Consuming a reasonable amount of the grape fruit extract daily after a surgery or an injury will significantly reduce pain than taking any other natural fruit oil. In addition, using the oil after a sports injury will decrease swelling on the injured area.

#7. Treating high blood pressure

The oil contains antioxidants that help in the protection of blood vessels from damaging and this can be helpful in treating hypertension or high blood pressure.

Grape seed oil has a variety of use and benefits to your health. It can be used for healthy and nutritious cooking, skin care, cholesterol control, dealing with aging, surgery or injury recovery and for treating high blood pressure."

Saeed Sikiru is a full time freelance writer and blogger.

I am sure that you are wondering about the status of my raw recipe book! It is continually improving. A project that I hoped would take a few weeks is taking much longer. However quality does take time and I am learn that among with so many other things! Other than compiling yummy raw recipes and taste testing them my photography skills have also improved!

Looking forward to being able to share the finished product with you soon!

In the meantime,

Eat Well!

Mary Jane

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