There are many uses for Muscadine grapes. Most of them are commonly known, but some are not. The most common products made from Muscadine grapes are jams, jellies, and wine.
Most people will have either tried Muscadine products or cooked with them at some point in their lives. Muscadine grapes have been around for centuries, first appearing around 1810, and they have grown in popularity ever since.
You will find most Muscadines growing on vines on residential farms or in someone’s backyard. Still, they are a popular grape and can also be found in vineyards across the country.
Some of the products that are made from these grapes may surprise you, as well as some of the uses. We will discuss the top five products that are made from Muscadine grapes, what they can be used for, and how they are used.
The number one product made from Muscadine grapes is wine. Vineyards across the country and the world use these grapes to make a large portion of their wines. However, there are some other lesser known uses for these grapes, and one of those is Muscadine supplements.
Manufacturers are using the seed of the Muscadines to make grape seed supplements, and we will discuss their uses shortly.
We will be discussing a variety of products that you can make with Muscadine grapes. Some are very common and almost everyone has used them in some ways, while the others may seem a little different or off the wall.
Vineyard owners around the world will tell you that there are a million different items that you can produce using Muscadine grapes, but most people only think about the wines that are made.
More and more vineyards are getting the word out about all of the different ways you can use these grapes in your everyday life.
While some of them may seem a little strange at first, they are growing in popularity and will eventually be a more common type of Muscadine product.
Let’s take a glimpse into what we are going to be discussing. The top five products made from Muscadine grapes are wine, jellies, dietary supplements, compost, and fertilizers.
The first two may not shock you, but the last three can certainly make you take a second look at these grapes.
Something that may shock you even more is the fact that most of these have been around for a long time and are just now coming to light. In reality, the newest product of this group is the dietary supplement, but these have definitely made their mark and are becoming very popular.
Before we dive in and see what these products have to offer us, let’s talk about where Muscadine grapes come from and how you can grow them in your own backyard. Muscadine grapes were first discovered in the early 1800s in the United States, though they have been cultivated in other parts of the world as early as the 1600s.
Most of these grapes are grown in vineyards in Europe, and only a select few places in the United States. Because they are relatively easy to grow, more and more people are adding them to their home gardens or farms.
You can find them as far south as Florida and as far north as Delaware, and you won’t have to look too hard in Texas and Oklahoma to find them either.
Muscadine grapes thrive in warmer climates and in places where the winter temperature doesn’t fall too far below 15-20 degrees Fahrenheit. Though they need rain to grow, they do prefer a dryer climate. This is why most people on the East coast and in Texas can find growing them to be easy.
Anything lower than 15 degrees puts them at risk of dying off, but you do not want them to be in extreme temperatures. If you have the right climate for these grapes, then you will end up with more Muscadines then you may know what to do with.
Muscadines are ripe for the picking between September and October when the temperature is right and the rain has started slowing down.
Now that we have learned a little more about Muscadine grapes, let’s take a look at the products that they make. We will start with the less commonly known products and move to the more common ones.
Fertilizers & Feed
Muscadine grapes can be used to make fertilizer for farms or for livestock feed. When the grapes have been processed for the making of wine or juice, the excess can be turned into fertilizer.
On average, when Muscadines are processed to make wine and juice, there are around 1,000 pounds of waste left over. This waste is made up of the outer skin of the grapes, the seeds, and any pulp that is inside the grape.
Using the waste as feed for livestock allows farmers to give their animals a natural, organic feed instead of giving them something that is made of unnatural materials. For those who grow Muscadine grapes in their backyards, you can use the waste from fallen or rotten grapes to fertilize the plants still on the vine.
This gives you a natural fertilizer and allows you to limit the amount of waste you have by putting it back into your grapes. You can also use it to fertilize any other type of garden you may have.
The waste from processing grapes or the rotten ones that fall off the vines is a great, natural way to help flowers and other plants to grow. It also saves you an extra trip to the store to buy pre-bagged fertilizer.
Adding in this waste to your livestock feed will give your livestock extra nutrients that are only found in these grapes, and it will give them a special treat because the grapes are naturally sweeter than other feeds you may be giving them. Use these in moderation, though. You do not want to give them too much as it may cause them to become sick.
Compost
If you choose to use Muscadine grapes for composting, you need to know that this is not the same type of composting that is used in compost toilets. This compost is similar to the fertilizer that is created with the grapes.
You can use the compost to help grow your grapes, or you can use it with hay to create a warm space for animals in the winter time. Because the waste from the grapes will still be moist to the touch and contain some juice, this compost is great for areas that have experienced a drought.
It will not only help keep your vines watered, but it will help keep you from having to break out the water hose and spend time and money on making sure the vines are watered properly.
By allowing the natural compost to do its job and soak the soil and the vines, you are giving your grapes a natural water supply and helping them to grow using the nutrients that are found in the compost.
Dietary Supplements
While Muscadine grapes have been around for a long time, supplements using them are relatively new. There are many different varieties of supplements on the market today using different natural ingredients depending on what health benefit you are looking for.
They also come in a few different forms, so there is something for everyone. The seeds of the grapes are the most popular for adding into a supplement. Some companies use just the seeds and some use only the extract from the seeds.
You can find Muscadine supplements in capsule, liquid, and powder form depending on what brand you purchase, as well as what type of health benefit you are looking to gain from these products.
The most common health benefits of these supplements are cancer prevention, cardiovascular health, antioxidants, and preservatives.
According to a study performed in 2007, some forms of Muscadine grapes can have anti-cancer properties in them, meaning that they have shown that there is a possibility that the extract from Muscadine grapes could be used to treat or prevent cancer.
There have not been any studies done on whether or not it would have a large success rate or if it is even possible to create a full blown cancer drug from these grapes. This particular health benefit is still in the early testing stages, but there are more expected studies to be done in this area.
In a cardiovascular study, test results showed that there are different antioxidants in Muscadine grapes that can have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system.
The study showed that using the grape seed extract would relax the arteries and keep them in check, which in theory would help to reduce inflammation, increase blood flow, and increase antioxidants in the body.
However, as of 2010, there have not been any more studies done on this and the initial test showed no significant increase in these areas. If you decide you want to try the grape seed extract to help reduce cardiovascular issues, it is important to speak with your medical doctor first.
This will ensure that you are using the supplement only if it will help you and only if you truly need it. The grape seed extract has shown to have high levels of antioxidants. This comes from the seed and the skin on the Muscadine grapes.
Like most other fruits with a skin or peel, the nutrients are in the skin, so this is used to make the extract to make sure that all of the nutrients in the fruit are being used properly and completely. Researchers have found about 90 antioxidants in the actual grape, and a small number of those were found in the seeds alone.
Having the antioxidants in the seeds is what prompted supplement manufacturers to market just the seed extract. Research is being done now to see if the Muscadine grape seed extract has the ability to persevere food and drinks.
In a recent study, the grapes were tested against different strains of the E. Coli bacteria, and while more testing needs to be completed, researchers have received promising results that show that Muscadine grape seed could be used to help preserve different food and drinks.
Speak with your regular medical doctor about taking a Muscadine grape seed supplement. You will need to know if it will negatively affect your other medications or if there is an ingredient in the supplement that you should not be taking.
As with other medications, make sure to only take the supplements as directed and do not take them longer than is suggested on the label, or by your doctor if he only wants you to take them for a limited amount of time.
Jellies
Jelly is a common product of Muscadine grapes, and you can find it in supermarkets around the country. However, more and more people are growing their own grapes and using those to create jams and jellies for their own personal use.
This is a great option for those who may go through more jelly than the average person or family unit or who simply enjoy making jellies and jams at home. Not only are you saving money, you also know that you have a large supply of jelly on hand at all times.
And that is fantastic for people who truly enjoy Muscadine jelly and live far away from a store that carries it. If you can your own jelly, then you will be able to create a large stockpile for use whenever you need it. In order to make the jelly, you will want to thoroughly rinse the grapes before putting them in a pot of water.
Leave them to boil for around 30 minutes or until the grapes are very soft. Once you have done this, using a potato masher or something similar, smash the grapes very well. You may find that a strainer will help you remove any unwanted seeds, though that is a step that is completely up to you and your taste.
You will want to add in pectin and sugar to the liquid mixture and bring it to a rolling boil to allow all of the sugar to dissolve. Test to see if your jelly is ready by removing a small amount onto a spoon and allowing it to cool for a few minutes.
After a few minutes has passed, if your liquid has not begun to set, or is not set, you will need to continue boiling for a few minutes longer. If you notice that your liquid has set, then your jelly is ready.
Once your jelly has set on the spoon, pour the remaining liquid into canning jars, placing the lids on tightly, then move the jars into a pot of boiling water for 10-15 minutes. Once you have reached the time limit, removed the jars and allow them to cool for at least 24 hours before handling them.
Once they are cool, you can move them to your storage area for safekeeping. Canning your own jelly is a great, cost-effective way to get the jelly you need and want. But if you do not have the room or time to can your own jelly, purchasing it at the store is just fine. Either way, it is sure to be delicious!
Wine
The most common product made from Muscadine grapes is wine. There are different flavors produced each year using both the purple Muscadine grape and the yellow Muscadine grapes.
Both have their own flavor profile and bring a different aspect to the wines that they create. Vineyards all over the world are using Muscadines in their wine making, especially here in the United States.
You can find Muscadine wines in Napa Valley or in Texas. Wherever you can find a vineyard making their own wines, you are almost guaranteed to find Muscadine grapes being turned into wine.
With the technology available today, you will more than likely see a more computerized way of making wines instead of the actual smashing of the grapes that was done for hundreds of years before machines took over.
There are some smaller vineyards that still use a version of that technique, though they produce a smaller amount of wine than larger vineyards do. The alcohol content in wine comes from the fermentation process during the wine making.
Depending on how high the producer wants the alcohol content to be, that will determine how long the fermentation process lasts. Most wines made with sweeter grapes have a sweet, flowery taste to them, and are usually on the dryer side.
So you will want to make sure that you are choosing the right wine for you by deciding ahead of time whether you would prefer a fruity wine or a more savory wine. There are also vineyards that offer wine tastings for a small fee, where you can sample the different wines that they offer and choose one you like.
It gives you the opportunity to sample different wines made with different Muscadine grapes. Some vineyards and wine makers will even combine two different types of grapes to get a different flavor combination.
So you could sample a wine made from both the purple and the yellow Muscadine grapes, or you could have a wine that has only one type of Muscadine in it and have it combined with another type of grape.
There are some vineyards that will allow the customer to choose the type of grapes that go into their wine, and they will help you make a customized bottle of wine for a special occasion.
Muscadine grapes have so many uses, and there are some many products that can be made from them. Whether you are sampling some straight off the vine or having Muscadine jelly on your morning toast, both will give you that sweet factor you may be looking for.
If you live in a warm, humid climate and have the outside space, you could try your hand at growing your own Muscadines. Then you could have most of this list readily available for your own personal use, or for sharing with friends and family.
If you are unsure about Muscadine grapes, try finding a local supermarket that sells them or a local farmer who would be willing to let you pick some to try. It may surprise you at how much you enjoy them.
Muscadines are great in the products that are produced from them, but they are also great by themselves. Kids often enjoy picking them straight off the vine and popping one into their mouth or frozen in the summertime as a sweet and cold treat.
You can also give them as special treats to your farm animals. They will love the sweet tartness of the Muscadine. No matter how you choose to use them or what products you intend to make from them, they are certainly a healthy choice when it comes to craving something sweet.
And having a healthy alternative to chocolate or candy is great if you are a parent with children. If you are a little timid about trying Muscadine grapes, head to your local supermarket and pick up a small jar of the jelly to try on your toast.
Alternatively, you could try getting your feet wet with a Muscadine grape seed supplement added into your daily diet. It will give you the nutrients that you may be looking for, and if you choose the liquid extract form, you will also be able to get a small taste of the grape.
Muscadine Grape Review Summary
No matter how you choose to use them, Muscadine grapes are a healthy and sweet treat for people of all ages. The variety of uses and products that come from these grapes is astounding, so you are sure to find something that you like.
If you are looking into using a supplement, remember to talk with your doctor about how and when to take it. Try your hand at canning and create an entire stockpile of delicious Muscadine jams and jellies, and maybe even pick up a bottle of Muscadine wine to go with them.
