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Are Raisins Good For You?
Raisins are very good for you. They may be some of the most overlooked superfoods on the planet.
Raisins, which are of course dried grapes, are rich in vitamin and mineral content. They’re also fat-free and cholesterol-free and very high in fiber. In fact, raisins may be helpful for:
- Relieving constipation
- Preventing anemia
- Building and maintaining strong bones
- Protecting your teeth
- Lowering your risk of both cancer and heart disease
- Providing a great quick source of energy for athletics
If you’re craving candy or sweets, think about grabbing some raisins to satisfy your cravings. Your body will reap the benefits of these tiny healthy treats!
What Are Raisins?
Raisins are just grapes, dried for about three weeks in the sun or in a food dehydrator. Naturally sweet and high in calories, these delicious little morsels are packed with nutrients. Raisins are the top dried fruit eaten in the U.S. and are quite popular globally.
Where Do Raisins Come From?
Raisins have an ancient history. The name “raisin” originates from the Latin word “racemus” which means a cluster of grapes or berries. The earliest history of raisins dates back to 2000 BC, where wall paintings show that raisins were eaten and used as decorations in Greece and Rome. Some history suggests that raisins originated in the Middle East even prior to this. Raisins have been used historically as currency to treat ailments such as food poisoning and even as awards in sporting events.
How Are Raisins Made?
Raisins are made via a very simple process. Grapes are harvested and then laid on brown craft paper trays in the sun between the vineyard rows. Over a few days, the natural process turns the grapes into raisins.
Raisins are much darker than grapes, and this is because there are natural oxidation and caramelization of the sugars that take place during the process. In commercial settings, raisins may also be made by dipping grapes in water and then artificially dehydrated. Both types of drying processes help to preserve and concentrate the antioxidants and other nutrients in the raisin.
What is the difference between raisins, sultanas, and currants?
The dark brown or black raisin is not the only dried grape out there. There are golden raisins, which actually have the highest antioxidant properties, and there’s something called a sultana.
Sultanas are raisins as well and are found more often in Europe. They come from smaller golden-green grapes typically found in Turkey. Sultanas are a bit smaller and sweeter than grapes.
There are also the tangier currants, which originate from grapes as well. Currants come from black seedless grapes, and when dried, are smaller and darker.
Health Benefits Of Raisins
Raisins are an ideal example of how something easily accessible, affordable and delicious, can be amazingly beneficial to your health. By choosing dried raisins as a snack instead of a less healthy option such as cookies, or chips, you’ll be taking a major step toward improving your health, preventing future health problems, and possibly even enhancing other aspects of your life.
Are Raisins Good For Digestion?
Raisins contain several properties that aid with digestion. In particular, raisins are rich in soluble fibers, which help provide bulk to your stool and help it move smoothly through the intestines. The result may be improved digestion and elimination regularity.
Can Raisins Improve Blood Quality?
Rich in iron, copper, and other vitamins that aid in the manufacturing of red blood cells, raisins are helpful for blood quality and may even contribute toward preventing anemia.
Do Raisins Lower Stomach Acidity?
Raisins are also rich in various minerals, including the aforementioned iron and copper, magnesium, and potassium. These minerals are alkaline on the pH scale and may help to balance out the acidity levels in your stomach.
Do Raisins Improve Blood Pressure?
There is some evidence to suggest that regularly consuming raisins could contribute to reduced blood pressure when compared to other snacks. Raisins are low in sodium and also contain high amounts of potassium, a mineral that helps to relax blood vessels.
Can Raisins Aid In Cancer Prevention?
Raisins are a rich source of antioxidants that contain anti-cancer properties. Dietary antioxidants help protect the body from oxidative stress, free radical damage, and chronic inflammation, three key factors that contribute to the proliferation of many types of cancer and aging.
Are Raisins Good For My Eyes?
Raisins are rich in polyphenols, a type of antioxidant that has been shown to protect the eyes from free radical damage. It’s possible that this helps to protect the eyes from eye disorders, including macular degeneration and cataracts.
Do Raisins Improve My Skin?
The antioxidants in raisins are helpful for keeping skin cells young. Raisins are also rich in nutrients essential for beauty, including vitamin C, selenium, and zinc. Adding these nutrients to your diet may be beneficial for skin health.
Can Raisins Help With Diabetes?
Even though raisins are relatively high in sugars compared to fresh fruit, they may actually help lower your blood sugar if they’re used to replace highly-processed sugary snacks. This is because the sugars in raisins are bound up in the fibers of the dried fruit. So if you have a sweet craving, reach for a serving of raisins rather than that piece of candy.
Nutrition Facts
Raisins contain all of the nutritional benefits of grapes, including a comparable amount of iron to beef. Calorie per calorie, raisins have a higher amount of sugar compared to grapes, but they are also more concentrated in fiber. Raisins are low-fat and low-cholesterol.
In particular, raisins contain:
- 3.3 grams of fiber per serving, which equates to about 10% – 24% of your daily fiber intake.
- 1.3 Mg of iron
- 618 mg of potassium
How Many Calories Are In Raisins?
A serving of raisins, which is about ½ cup, contains about 217 calories and 47 grams of sugar. In comparison, one 12-ounce can of soda contains about 150 calories and 33 grams of sugar. The key difference is the total package that comes with each. While soda is devoid of nutrients, raisins are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other antioxidants. While raisins are high in carbohydrates at 11 grams of carbs per 14 grams, their sugar is mostly fructose, which is lower on the glycemic index.
General Questions About Raisins
How Should You Store Raisins?
Put your raisins in an airtight container or a large plastic sealable bag. This should prevent them from drying out or clumping. But if you open them and don’t plan to consume all of them within about 2 months, you might want to store them in the refrigerator to prolong their shelf life.
Are Old Raisins Bad For You?
If you have an unopened box or container of raisins, they actually should last about a full year past their listed expiration date. And even afterwards, raisins may still be technically safe to eat but will be much lower in quality.
How Many Raisins Are In An Ounce?
One ounce of raisins, or 28 grams, is somewhere around 60 raisins.
How Do You Soften Raisins?
If your raisins are a little too firm for your taste, you can rehydrate them by placing them in a bowl and covering them with boiling water. Within a few minutes, they’ll soften up. This is a great technique when you’re adding raisins to a recipe for baking, because it will keep the raisins moist as opposed to drying them out.
Where Can I Buy Raisins In Bulk?
You can find bulk raisins at your local health food store, or you can purchase bulk raisins online from us right here!
Culinary Questions
How Many Raisins Should You Eat Per Day?
While raisins are certainly healthy, you should limit them to a total of about ¼ cup per day. This will supply you with about 100 calories. More than that, and you’ll be consuming a pretty high amount of fructose and fiber, which may have some unpleasant implications when it comes to your digestion.
What Do Raisins Taste Like?
Raisins taste quite different from fresh grapes, because the drying process creates more highly-concentrated sugars inside the raisin. Brown raisins taste sweet, fruity, and at times feel a little gritty. Golden raisins have a bit more sweetness even, and have somewhat of a hint of tartness.
How Do You Cook & Eat Raisins?
Raisins are extremely easy to incorporate into your diet. You can of course snack on them by themselves, but you can also do the following:
- Add to your oatmeal or cereal
- Bake into cookies, muffins, scones, or even cakes.
- Sprinkle on a green salad.
- Add to a curry salad.
- Add to a warm curry or rice-based dish.
- Add to cooked broccoli salad or coleslaw.
- Add to a rice pudding or chia pudding
Here’s a fun, delicious, and somewhat sinful recipe incorporating raisins. If you haven’t had bread pudding before, you’re in for a treat. But if you have, this one will bring you back:
Bread Pudding With Raisins
Ingredients:
- 1 loaf of bread bread
- 4 cups of milk or non-dairy milk
- 3 beaten eggs
- 2 tablespoons of vanilla
- 2 cups of sugar
- 1 cup of raisins
- 3 butter tablespoons
Directions:
- Tear the loaf of bread into tiny pieces in a large bowl.
- Add the milk, eggs, vanilla, sugar, and raisins to the bread pieces and mix well.
- Let the mixture sit for a little while, so the milk is well absorbed into the bread.
- Grease your baking dish with all 3 tablespoons of butter (or butter alternative if you’re avoiding dairy). You will have large pieces of butter in the pan, but don’t worry, that’s totally fine.
- Pour the bread mixture into the greased pan and bake at 350 degrees F for one hour, or until it becomes firm and brown on the edges.
- Enjoy!
