Grape seeds - what do we really know ?

It has been a wonderful grape year. We got the first red and white grapes from our vines. Very yummy! I was sitting in the dappled shade of the peach tree, having a Friday afternoon beer while munching on sweet white grapes. I was reading a nutritional product catalog and noticed that they had in their antioxidant tablets grape seed extract. No surprises, as grape seeds are known to have strong antioxidant capabilities.

But it did get me thinking. Firstly do the seeds I swallow get broken down in digestion to give up their nutrients? Or does this only happen when I bit the seeds? As I try not to bit the seeds, as they taste bitter, then am I getting any value from swallowing them? Should I be spitting them out as whole seeds, then grinding them up for a breakfast smoothly like I do with other nuts? What effect does the type of plant have? Do I have a high antioxidant seeding plant, or a low one? How would one find out?

There are many questions that I have yet to answer. However it does illustrate how little we know about optimal health and diet. The media have told us grape seeds are antioxidants, but nothing more than this. This illustrates my frustration with the "wellness" industry and the media. We get told some general principles but not the specifics required to make a solid change in our lives.

I guess this is the motivation to blog! To help bridge the gap.