You probably know grapes are good for you in that vague, “fruit is healthy!” kind of way. But new research published in the journal ACS Nutrition Science is giving us a much more specific—and surprising—reason to keep them in regular rotation: they might actually help your skin defend itself against UV damage.
And we’re not talking about some distant, theoretical benefit you’d need to eat grapes for five years to maybe see. The study found measurable changes in skin health at the genetic level after just two weeks of daily grape consumption. Read on for more details.
What Did the Study Find?
Researchers from Western New England University had volunteers consume three servings of grapes daily for two weeks. Then they analyzed what was happening in participants’ skin at the genetic level, both before and after grape consumption, and after UV exposure.
The results showed that grapes altered the behavior of skin genes. Specifically, the changes helped strengthen the skin’s protective barrier—the part that shields you from environmental damage—and lowered markers of oxidative stress induced by UV exposure, the kind of cellular damage that shows up as fine lines, uneven tone and loss of firmness.
Can Grapes Replace Sunscreen?
Absolutely not! Grapes aren’t a replacement for SPF. (Nothing is!) But they might give your skin an extra layer of internal defense alongside your topical protection. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher daily.
Will Grapes Protect Everyone’s Skin From UV Damage?
Here’s where it gets interesting: everyone’s genes responded differently to the grapes, but everyone showed some kind of shift in gene activity. Previous studies found that grapes improved UV resistance in about 30 to 50 percent of people.
One 2022 study published in Antioxidants found that one-third of participants demonstrated enhanced UV resistance after consuming grapes for two weeks. This newer research suggests the benefits are probably more widespread than that—you just might see them show up in different ways depending on your unique genetic makeup.
Should You Add Grapes to Your Skin-Care Routine?
Grapes are easy to work into your routine, taste good and based on this research, might boost your skin’s defenses against sun damage at a cellular level. Is it a game-changer? Probably not on its own. But as part of a broader skin-health strategy that includes sunscreen, antioxidants and smart sun habits, it’s a pretty low-effort addition with science behind it. And worst-case scenario? You ate some grapes.
Worth noting: The study was funded by the California Table Grape Commission, which has a financial interest in positive grape research. However, it was conducted by independent researchers from Western New England University and Oregon State University and published in the peer-reviewed journal ACS Nutrition Science.
