Yellow, blue or purple morsels called raisins are actually grapes that have been dried in the sun or in a food hydrator. Raisins are commonly used in Salad dressing, mixed in Oatmeal, yoghurt & cereals. You may have also consumed in various cookies, cakes & breads. Besides, they can also be mixed in omelette & chicken salad. Raisins are loaded with various minerals, vitamins & fibre.
Raisins are naturally sweet & high in sugar & calories. When consumed in moderation, Raisins offer numerous health benefits. It is known to improve our digestion, boost iron levels & makes our bones strong.
It is recommended to replace candies & sweets with raisins to not only satisfy your sugar cravings but also give your body numerous vitamins, minerals & fibre.
Let us look at the nutritional value of raisins! The following paragraph discusses about the breakdown of nutritional value of Raisin.
- Sugar: one cup of raisins has about 217 calories & 47 grams of sugar. For reference , 12 oz of one coke can has about 140 calories & 39 grams of sugar. Raisins are not a low calorie low sugar food & are sometimes referred to as nature’s candy. Raisins are often served in small packets/boxes, each containing 100 calories. Buying such small boxes is a great way to keep your raisin consumption under control. For sports folks & those who are highly energetic & indulge in heavy workout, raisins are an excellent source of post workout energy source(carbohydrate).
- Fibre: One half cup of raisins will give you 3.3 grams of fibre which translates into 10% to 24 % of daily recommended intake based on age, gender. Fibre helps in improving your digestion by increasing the weight & size of stool. Bulkier stool is easier to pass & prevents constipation. Besides, fibre helps you reduce your food cravings & bad cholesterol level.
- Iron: Raisins are a good source of iron & one half cup of raisins contains 1.3 milligrams of Iron. It fulfills 7% of recommended daily intake for adult women & 16% for adult men. Iron helps in producing red blood cells that helps transport oxygen to different cells of you body & low consumption of iron can lead to iron deficiency
- Calcium & Boron: One half cup of Raisin contains 45 milligrams of calcium which fulfills 4% of the daily recommended intake. Calcium is necessary for healthy & strong bones & teeth. Raisins also contains a high amount of boron which works with Vitamin D & Calcium to make your teeth healthy.
- Antioxidant: Raisins contains naturally occurring plant based chemicals known as Phytonutrients such as phenols & polyphenols. These are antioxidants which help remove free radicals from your blood & prevent damage of your cells.
