This is the source of grapes. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, wine, grape seed extract, raisins, vinegar, and grape seed oil. Concentrated extracts prepared from whole grape seeds are reported to have a range of beneficial effects such as in wound healing, tooth decay, osteoporosis, skin cancer, radioprotection etc. Having received a lot of research interest grape seed extracts contain a high concentration of vitamin E, flavonoids, linoleic acid and proanthocyanidins.

Cosmetic use

Biochemical and medical studies have demonstrated significant antioxidant properties of grape seed oligomeric proanthocyanidins. Chemical constituents such as proanthocyanidins, polyphenols, flavonoids and anthocyanins, all of which are very potent antioxidants that help diminish the sun’s damaging effects and reduce free-radical damage. Grape extract has also been shown to have wound-healing properties and hence included as supplementation for sunscreen protection. Its topical application in association with other antioxidants reportedly reduces skin cancer biomarkers. Presence of resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant in red grapes, is responsible for the health benefits of grape juice and thus red wine. In vitro studies on human skin equivalent bio-models demonstrated enhanced synthesis of healthy collagen, elastin and overall improvement of other skin structural components. Grape seed oil obtained by expression is an important cosmaceutical included in many skin care products.

Grape seed oil has some amount of tocopherols (vitamin E), but is notable for its high contents of phytosterols, polyunsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic acid, oleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid.