If you add black raisins only to your oatmeal cookies, it is time for you to familiarize yourself with more options to include them in your diet. That’s right! Black raisins are a nutrient powerhouse, helping enrich your overall health. Find out their benefits and how you can add them to your meals.
What are Black Raisins?
Black raisins are a popular variety of dried grapes. The scientific name of the grapevine is Vitis vinifera and it is native to the Mediterranean region, central Europe, and southwestern Asia.
These raisins generally do not contain seeds and they are sweet in taste. It is because of this natural sweetness that they are used in a wide variety of baked goods like cookies, cakes, and pies. Black raisins also have been used in many traditional medicinal applications like treating cough and inflammation in the respiratory tract.
Raisins help boost energy levels. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Black Raisins Nutrition
According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, raisins are a rich source of natural sugars, fiber, and carbohydrates. They also contain protein in a notable amount. The mineral wealth in raisins includes potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, iron, and sodium. When it comes to vitamins, raisins are also a source of vitamin C and folate. Let us find how these nutrients help in improving overall health. [1]
Benefits of Black Raisins
Black raisins help prevent cavities and gum diseases, manage diabetes, boost cognition, regulate digestion, and maintain healthy blood pressure as well as cholesterol levels.
Protect Cardiovascular Health
Eating black raisins regularly can be extremely helpful for you. They are a significant source of dietary fiber and polyphenols, which may protect your heart health.
A research paper in the Lipid in Health and Disease [2] journal suggests that adding raisins to your diet may have pronounced beneficial effects for your body. It shows that raisins can help in lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol levels as well as help in regulating the blood pressure levels.
Soaking black raisins in water overnight and having them early in the morning is an age-old remedy used for treating high blood pressure in India and neighboring countries. While this practice has sustained for years, formal research on this is still awaited.
Improve Oral Health
Including black raisins in your diet is a great way to keep your gums and teeth strong.
According to research conducted at the University of Illinois, Chicago, raisins contain antimicrobial compounds like oleanolic acid, oleanolic aldehyde, linoleic acid, and linolenic acid, among others. They fight oral pathogens and protect you from cavities and gum disease. [3]
Manage Diabetes
Black raisins have a low to moderate glycemic index (GI), which means that the carbohydrates in these dried fruits do not affect the blood glucose levels substantially. [4]
Also, various studies have proven that black raisins are very helpful in regulating blood sugar levels. [5] [6]
In the results of a 2015 trial, it was found that consuming raisins instead of processed snacks can help improve the glucose levels amongst people with type 2 diabetes. [7]
Improve Memory
It is important to include nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables as they help lower your risk of age-related diseases.
An animal study was conducted by research centers from Iran, Australia, and Canada to determine the effects of raisin consumption on the brain tissue in aging rats. Results suggest that black raisins have excellent antioxidant properties that help improve cognition as well as memory. [8]
Aid in Digestion
When it comes to soothing your digestive issues, black raisins are a food you can definitely bank on. Being abundant in fiber, raisins lower your risk of constipation. [9]
Interesting Ways to Eat Black Raisins
There are many amazing ways to eat black raisins. They are as follows:
- The classic way is adding raisins to your oatmeal cookies.
- You can top your bagels with sugary raisins.
- Make your green salads a sweet surprise by adding black raisins to them.
- Add a handful of raisins to your cereal or yogurt and enjoy the new flavor.
- The easiest way is to carry a couple of raisins in a bowl and eating them while you enjoy Netflix.
Grab a jar full of winey, sun-dried grapes for your sweet tooth, without a pang of guilt, because they’re healthy!
