The question “are raisins good for you?” has been asked by many people. After all, fruit that has dried up has lost most of its nutrients, right? That’s actually incorrect! Raisins are an incredibly healthy member of the dry fruit family. No matter if you like raisins that are black, purple, green or something in between, these tiny super foods will work wonders for your health. In fact, many cultures across the world use raisins in their everyday cooking, especially when it comes to desserts. Additionally, many fitness conscious people like mountaineers, hikers and even campers eat them.
Are Raisins Good For You?
Just because raisins are a dried fruit does not mean that they aren’t good for you. As a matter of fact, people throughout history have been using raisins as part of a healthy, balanced diet. Whether you’re adding them to oatmeal or trail mix or just eating them by the handful, raisins help you boost your daily fruit intake among other nutritional benefits.
Note: Don’t forget that while raisins are healthy, they are calorie dense so you should avoid eating too many unless you’re attempting to pack on some weight.
Nutritional Facts of Raisins
We’ve said that raisins are good for you, but what does that mean exactly? Below, we’ve broken down exactly why raisins are so good for you.
1. Macronutrients
Did you know that one of those mini boxes of raisins you buy in packs of six or twelve contains 129 calories? They also have almost no fat while boasting 34 grams of carbohydrates and 1.3 grams of protein. No wonder they’re a power snack! Finally, raisins give our bodies about 1.6 grams of fiber and 25.5 grams of sugar, which is what helps give this food its power punch.
2. Minerals
If you have an iron deficiency, then you’re certainly going to want to incorporate raisins into your diet. Just one of those small snack sized boxes contains 0.81 milligrams of iron, which is a whole 5% of recommended dietary allowance for women under 50, and it’s 10% for men. Potassium also comes into play when we’re talking small boxes of raisins – 322 milligrams to be exact. Additional mineral benefits from raisins include phosphorous, magnesium and calcium, which will help to build and maintain healthy bones.
3. Vitamins
You know that bottle of vitamins that you open every morning? While you can supplement vitamins that your body is lacking, some foods actually contain those same vitamins that your body needs. Raisins, for instance, contain minor amounts of B vitamins including B-1, B-2 and B-6. Vitamin C and Vitamin K are also present in raisins, as well as some folate.
4. Antioxidants
It seems like diseases are everywhere. However, just a small handful of raisins can help protect you against many illnesses and diseases because they contain antioxidants. Antioxidants help to protect your body against what’s known in science as “free radicals” which are created in response to bad things that enter your body like cigarette smoke. As you might imagine, these free radicals can do damage to your insides and contribute to conditions such as heart disease.
Health Benefits of Raisins
Are raisins good for you? The benefits of raisins are many. Let’s check out a few of them below.
1. Relieve Cramping
No one likes to be uncomfortable. However cramping and constipation can be embarrassing as well as painful. Raisins to the rescue! Raisins actually swell, which ultimately helps you to not only digest your food better, but also relieve constipation and cramping. Also, the next time you experience a bout of diarrhea, eat a handful of raisins. By swelling, they’ll help reduce the liquid of those loose stools you’re experiencing.
2. Improve Eye Sight
Did you know that raisins promote healthy eyes? It’s true. The antioxidant properties that are present in raisins contain nutrients, which promote ocular health. Perhaps you have great eyesight and wonder how you could benefit? Those nutrients also help protect your eyes from free radicals. As you might recall, free radicals can cause damage that leads to health issues like heart disease. Those same free radicals can also damage vision, leading to macular degeneration and more.
3. Neutralize Blood Acidity
A fancy term for increased blood acidity is acidosis. This health issue can lead to all sorts of scary outcomes including hair loss, heart disease, tumors, boils and yes, even cancer. However, because raisins are high in minerals, they can help neutralize the acids and keep them in check so that you don’t have to worry about any of these health scares.
4. Help with Erectile Dysfunction and Lowered Libido
No one likes to suffer from sexual dysfunction. In fact, people search for all kinds of ways to naturally assist with this issue. Raisins are actually a great source of the amino acid Arginine which is used in erectile dysfunction treatments. This same amino acid can also help with libido and overall arousal for both you and your partner.
5. Improve Dental Hygiene
Our teeth are incredibly important. But while we often hear advice such as “stay away from candy and soda” we don’t hear much about what food are good for our teeth. Raisins are good for them! In fact, raisins have many properties, which serve as protectors of your teeth including oleanolic acid and calcium. And while you may not like that sticky residue raisins leave on your teeth, the longer it stays there- the better off your dental hygiene!