Grapeseed Oil Benefits: Actually Healthy or a Big, Fat Lie?

A few days go by and a new “health food” arrives in the market. In plenty cases, the health claims are spurious and don’t have any real studies to support them. The same appears to be the case with grapeseed oil, a leftover by-product of wine-making. Grapeseed oil is a polyunsaturated oil that is chemically extracted from the seeds of grapes after wine is made.

The 5 “Benefits” of Grapeseed Oil

Grapeseed oil benefits are based on the supposedly high amounts of nutrients, antioxidants and polyunsaturated fats of the seeds. But here’s a newsflash… most of the nutrients and antioxidants (including the proanthocyanidins) from grape seeds are not present in the oil. Let’s take a look at the supposed benefits of using grapeseed oil.

1. Grapeseed oil is a good source of Vitamin E

After the intense chemical extraction process, most of the good properties are actually filtered out. The only nutrient left in any significant amount is Vitamin E. One tablespoon of grapeseed oil contains 9 mg of Vitamin E, which is 19% of the Recommended Daily Allowance. In fact, grapeseed oil contains about twice as much Vitamin E as olive oil. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps prevent cell damage in your body and strengthens your immune system.