Grape leaves are used in the cuisines of a number of cultures, including Turkish cuisine, Greek cuisine, Bulgarian cuisine, Arab cuisine, Romanian cuisine, and Vietnamese cuisine. They are most often picked fresh from the vine and stuffed with a mixture of rice, meat, and spices, and then cooked by boiling or steaming. Stuffed grape leaves can be served as an appetizer or as a main dish. For a more complete description of its culinary uses, see Dolma.
The leaves can also be sold in jars, by brand names such as Orlando California Grape Leaves, Ziyad, Alafia, Krinos, and Roland grape leaves. Grape leaves from Erbaa, Tokat is famous and has significance in Turkish cuisine. Dolma, sarma and Vietnamese luop are some foods that incorporate grape leaves. In a jar, the grape leaves are usually packed in rolls in a brined solution. A jar of commercial grape leaves typically contains: grape leaves, water, salt, citric acid, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, sodium bisulfite, for preservatives.
In indigenous medicine, grape leaves were used to stop bleeding, inflammation, and pain [1].
