Some people wonder why raisins, especially black raisins, are recommended in many recipes for healthy eating. The popular argument against such questions is: Aren’t raisins just sugar? What nutritional value does it have? Do they still have antioxidant activity after drying?
It is true that raisins contain a lot of sugar, because they concentrate the sugar in grapes. However, raisins ≠ sugar.
Raisins are dried fruit, and dried fruit is a product that is dried and made without any added sugar or fat. In fact, the drying process loses vitamin C, but not minerals and dietary fiber. After removing water, the minerals such as potassium, magnesium and iron, oligosaccharides, pectin and fiber, as well as most of the antioxidant components in the fruit, are concentrated. As an excellent representative of dried fruit, it’s time to popularize the many health facts about raisins!
One of the health truths about raisins.
They are a good source of antioxidants, minerals and
dietary fiber
Grapes themselves are rich in polyphenols, some of which are lost during the drying process, but most of which remain in the raisins. Because we usually spit out the skins when we eat fresh grapes, raisins are eaten with the skins on, so eating raisins provides access to the nutrients in the skins, including the large amounts of pectin and fiber in the skins, as well as the polyphenolic antioxidants.
One study found that raisins have one of the highest levels of polyphenols among common dried fruits. Comparing them by weight, they exceed dried black plums and dried apricots, and even more than most fresh fruits. In general, the higher the polyphenol content, the stronger the antioxidant effect.
Raisins are quite rich in potassium. The reference daily intake of potassium for an adult is 2000 mg, and eating a small handful of 25 grams of raisins supplies more than 180 mg of potassium, which is excellent as a snack eaten in small quantities.
Raisins eaten with their skins are also a good source of dietary fiber. 100 grams of raisins contain 3.3-4.5 grams of dietary fiber, which is 6-9 times more than refined white rice. In the process of making raisins, some of the sucrose and fructose in them form oligofructose, which can reach up to 8%. Oligofructose is sweet and the body cannot digest and absorb it in the small intestine, but it can be fermented in the large intestine and belongs to the prebiotics that can adjust the intestinal flora, which is considered a dietary fiber in a broad sense.
Theoretically, compared to light-colored raisins, dark-colored raisins, such as red and black, have better antioxidant properties because they retain some of their anthocyanins (if you can see the black color, it means that most of the anthocyanins are not lost, otherwise they would have faded), and they also have higher dietary fiber and iron content.
Health facts about raisins #2.
They are a medium GI food, not harmful to blood sugar
Raisins themselves are a low to medium GI (glycemic index) food, and replacing some of the staple foods like rice with raisins does not cause more of a rise in blood sugar. One study found that eating raisins three times a week was associated with a lower risk of diabetes compared to drinking juice three times a week.
One researcher had overweight obese and diabetic people eat a 28 gram packet of dark raisins (84 grams total, containing about 270kcal) three times a day before a meal, replacing traditional snacks (such as cookies, etc., containing 300kcal). After 12 weeks, there was no difference in insulin levels between the two groups of subjects, but glycosylated hemoglobin levels and postprandial glucose levels were significantly lower in the raisin group, indicating elevated insulin sensitivity. Analysis of the data from diabetic patients also showed a trend towards lower fasting blood glucose.
In experiments conducted on healthy individuals, it was also found that replacing half of the white rice with raisins containing 25 grams of carbohydrates did not increase the postprandial blood glucose response, and that peak blood glucose concentrations and blood glucose fluctuations were comparable to those of rice.
Raisins health truth number three.
Good for blood pressure and blood lipids
Because raisins are a good source of potassium, magnesium and many antioxidants, and are also rich in oligosaccharides and pectin, they are good for heart health when eaten in moderation. Research has found that eating at least 160 grams of raisins per week significantly reduces the risk of hypertension.
Another study has shown that replacing snack treats such as cookies and cakes with raisins is better for blood pressure control.
Raisin health truth number four.
Reasonable consumption does not lead to obesity
One survey found that people who consumed more than 20 grams of mixed dried fruit daily had a higher caloric intake and significantly lower average weight, BMI and waist circumference compared to those who consumed less dried fruit. After eliminating various confounding factors, it was found that people who consumed more dried fruit had higher intakes of vitamins and minerals, richer dietary fiber, and lower numbers and percentages of overweight, obesity, and abdominal obesity compared to those who did not consume dried fruit.
After the extra intake of dried fruit, the calorie content is higher and the carbohydrate energy supply ratio is also higher, but why is it not easy to gain weight instead?
This may be because after eating sweet dried fruit, you no longer want to eat cookies, desserts and other snacks, and dried fruit has a higher nutrient density and more healthy ingredients compared to these foods. Just as surveys have found that people who eat nuts in moderation do not gain more weight compared to those who do not.
Raisins health truth number five.
Not as harmful to teeth as sweets
Dental studies have found that eating a handful of raisins a day, with regular brushing and rinsing, is not as damaging to your teeth as eating sweets.
Raisins contain very little sucrose, fructose and glucose have a short time to adhere to the tooth surface, and the antioxidants in them have a slight antibacterial effect, so the pH of the tooth surface does not drop much after eating raisins to the extent of damaging tooth enamel.
Of course, each kind of food has its own reasonable share, if you crave too much dried fruit and do not replace other carbohydrates, or if you eat less other foods and only eat a lot of raisins, it is also not conducive to nutritional balance and can be fattening or harmful to your health.
So, how many raisins are good to eat? According to the amount in the literature, eating 160 grams per week has a health effect, which is 23 grams per day on average. If you can eat enough fruit to reach 200 grams per day, then you can consume raisins in the amount of 23-25 grams; if you eat less fruit on a daily basis, you can increase your raisin intake to 30-40 grams. Of course, this amount can also include other dried fruits, not only raisins, but also dates, dried apricots, dried figs, dried blueberries, persimmon cake, dried wolfberries, etc.
