Useful properties of raisins
High-quality dark raisins contain a large amount of boron. That is why it is recommended for women over 35 as a preventative supplement that prevents the development of osteoporosis. On average, you should consume from 30 to 50 g per day, well washed, separately, or as part of dishes made from whole grain cereals, fruits, and dairy products. With regard to the prevention of osteoporosis, the most “promising dish” is cottage cheese with raisins, familiar to us since childhood. 200 g of product contains more than 60% of the daily requirement of potassium and boron. The product is rich in magnesium and manganese, which makes it indispensable for nervous and mental overload, as well as high physical activity. Perhaps a handful of raisins is the best “accompaniment” to a cup of tea if you have a stressful job and don’t forget about training.
But with vitamins it’s not so simple. Raisins contain vitamins B1, B2, B5, but this statement fully applies only to the “tailed” raisins of the highest grade, and not to the processed product of the first grade. In the process of drying and industrial removal of “tails,” the grapes become wrinkled and lose most of their beneficial properties.
In folk medicine, tincture of raisins (200 g per 400 ml of hot water, infuse overnight) is used for additional nutrition for children. The beneficial properties of “raisin water” are confirmed by some doctors, but the product contains a high percentage of sugar and, according to other doctors, should not be used systematically so as not to overload the child’s pancreas.
Raisins contain inulin, therefore, they are sometimes used for the so-called liver cleansing. On Friday morning, take 1 handful of raisins and pour a glass of cold, clean water. On Saturday morning, dried fruits are eaten and water is drunk. Then place a heating pad with warm water on the liver area and lie with it for 1-1.5 hours. After this, according to one version, you should go on a daily fast; according to another, you should eat boiled rice without salt and sugar.
Contraindications and side effects
- A strict contraindication is an allergy to grapes and/or sulfur sulfite. Not all varieties of raisins contain sulfite. But since it is impossible to say for sure whether it is in dried fruit or not, people who are intolerant to this compound should avoid using it.
- If consumed regularly, in large quantities, dried fruit can lead to excess weight gain. Especially if you eat it together with easily digestible carbohydrates and immediately after the main meal.
- For people who are not accustomed to consuming a lot of plant fiber, dried grapes may weaken them. It also causes other unpleasant symptoms from the gastrointestinal tract: bloating, nausea, pain in the abdominal area.
- Raisins can be eaten for pancreatitis, cholecystitis and gastritis. But in people with irritable bowel syndrome, it can cause increased symptoms.
Where to buy, how to select and store raisins
Raisins are served in markets and supermarkets. They usually write that the market one is healthier. Although this is not the rule in our world. And raisins can be sold there, quickly dried in artificial oven conditions with sulfur dioxide.
In general, the criteria for choosing raisins are different:
- the berries should not stick together. If you are offered to purchase a lump of raisins, they were most likely dried quickly in an oven. In the process, vitamins and minerals could be lost, and what they “gain” is not the most healthy sulfur coating. If you do buy such raisins, you should first soak them and only then use them for cooking;
- high-quality raisins are not the “cleanest”. Most often we buy berries without stalks, interspersed with various debris, and glossy ones. But natural raisins are completely different. Small “logs” of stalks are almost a guarantee that the raisins were not produced industrially, or were even grown and dried on a household plot. Clearly, this product offers more health benefits than various other options;
- It is best to buy black raisins for a healthy diet; they are made from red grapes and are the most “dense” in macronutrients, minerals and vitamins. Yellow and brown varieties are also tasty and healthy, but not as much as black ones.
Types of raisins and their chemical composition
Small sweet dried grapes with a piquant sour aftertaste are familiar to everyone since childhood. However, there is a certain gradation among them. In fact, experts distinguish between four types of raisins.
- The first includes small light brownish berries of dried sultanas without seeds.
- The second variety is small dark berries produced from red grape varieties, where there is also no seed inside.
- The third variety is the dried fruits of large white grapes with one seed against a background of juicy pulp.
- The last, fourth type includes large amber-brown dried grapes with a fleshy texture and several seeds.
Of the listed varieties, the most beneficial for the human body is considered to be dark, almost black, seedless raisins, which experts also call “birana” or “shigani”.
However, regardless of the variety, dried grapes are a source of concentrated energy, rich in:
- Vitamins of group B, PP, A, C;
- Enzymes;
- Biotin;
- Antioxidants;
- Plant proteins;
- Fiber;
- Flavonoids;
- Beta carotene;
- Pantothenic, ascorbic, folic acids;
- Dietary fiber;
- Simple monosaccharides.
- Elements:
- phosphorus;
- sodium;
- potassium;
- magnesium;
- boron;
- fluorine;
- zinc;
- Selena;
- gland.
The energy value of light varieties is 300 kcal, and dark ones - 250. These are quite high figures that indicate that these dried fruits are by no means a dietary product.
How to dry grapes to make raisins
In homestead farming, two methods of drying raisins are used:
- They lay the grapes out in the sun outside and wait for the natural process to take place. Sometimes the berries are treated with alkali so that the skin cracks and the raisins dry out faster;
- lay the berries in the shade and dry a little longer, turning them over and removing them from rain if it happens.
In modern conditions, small quantities of grapes can be turned into raisins using a dehydrator. Sometimes red grapes are dried in the oven, too, by placing them on a baking sheet and leaving them overnight at 60-90 degrees. It is believed that such raisins may lose some of their beneficial properties, but they also turn out delicious.
Summarize
- Most raisins are made from seedless grapes called White Kishish.
- To produce it, grapes are placed on brown paper trays and dried in the sun.
- Raisins are traditionally sun dried, but they can also be artificially dehydrated.
- There are three main types of raisins - sun-dried (natural), artificially dried and treated with sulfur dioxide.
- Raisins are rich in fiber, potassium, iron and other essential nutrients. It is free of saturated fat, cholesterol and gluten.
- It contains polyphenols, antioxidants, flavonoids and nutrients that can benefit the entire body.
- Raisins reduce the risk of cavities and gum disease, aid digestion, lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of stroke, help manage diabetes and prevent cancer.
- It is a great snack food on its own, but can also be added to many dishes and baked goods.
Tags: Raisins, Dried fruits
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How many raisins can you eat per day?
The total amount of raisins eaten depends greatly on the needs of the eater. Some people write on the Internet that naturally dried raisins are living food, and you can eat them almost as much as you like, in any quantities, and nothing bad will happen to your health or figure. Nutritionists do not share such optimism. First of all, the diet should be balanced and contain not only carbohydrates from raisins, but also proteins and fats from other foods. In addition, large amounts of fructose are a guaranteed digestive disorder. Too many raisins usually equal flatulence and diarrhea.
Large quantities of raisins are not recommended for those losing weight. It’s not that glucose seriously slows down the process of calorie deficit, but if you overeat on sweets, there is no room left for “everything else” and the diet becomes unbalanced. It is then that a person risks harming his health.
In general, they write on the Internet that “all of humanity” can eat about 50-100 g of raisins per day, and those who are losing weight can eat only 30 g. It is better, of course, to use a more scientific approach. Separate 20% of the daily calorie intake, divide it in half, and calculate how many raisins you can “put” into this amount of kcal.
Raisins for women – pregnancy and breastfeeding
For women, raisins have some special properties:
- It reduces gas formation and nourishes blood cells.
- Reduces sensitivity during menstruation.
- Vitamins are completely indicated for the female body.
During pregnancy, it is especially necessary for the mother, first of all. Raisins absorb gas, which is helpful in the second trimester. In the third trimester, when you need to lose weight or go on a diet, raisins are useful - they are nutritious, saturate the body with vitamins, which the mother can get from a large portion of food. Thus, without depriving the woman and child of anything, you can reduce weight and ensure an easy birth.
During lactation, raisins, as the only sweetness, can help the mother relieve stress and reduce the number of emotional outbursts. It does not affect the child through milk in any way, there is nothing negative, the effect is only positive - a calm mother, a calm child.
Recipes with raisins
Syrniki
Half a kilo of low-fat cottage cheese and 1 package of creamy cottage cheese 2% fat, a tablespoon of raisins, the same amount of cornstarch and oatmeal, 2 eggs or 6 whites, stevia-based sweetener, vanillin or vanilla extract. Vegetable or coconut oil for frying cheesecakes, a little wheat flour.
Beat the egg, add cottage cheese and grind into a homogeneous mass, add flour and starch, add raisins and sweetener. Using hands “dipped” in wheat flour, form cheesecakes, lightly dust with flour, fry on both sides in oil in a frying pan, and bring to readiness in the microwave, about 3 minutes.
Roast with raisins
A kilogram of beef - lean flesh, 2 red onions, half a glass of washed raisins, ground red pepper, a teaspoon of coconut oil, and 1 glass of mushroom or vegetable broth or water.
Rinse the beef, remove the membranes, cut the meat into strips. Melt coconut oil in a frying pan and fry the onions and strips of meat in it over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add raisins, previously soaked for half an hour and washed, and broth. Simmer over low heat until done.
Light pie with berries and raisins
For the filling: 1 kg of cottage cheese, half a kilo of raspberries, 100 g of raisins, no-calorie sweetener, 1-2 eggs, or 6 whites, or 2 tablespoons of egg substitute.
For the dough: a glass of oatmeal, half a glass of coarse wheat, 1.5 cups of fermented baked milk, baking powder, 1-2 eggs, or an equivalent amount of egg substitute.
Beat eggs for filling, mix with cottage cheese and sweetener, and add raisins. Grease a pie pan with olive or coconut oil and place the curd filling on the bottom. Knead the dough - first mix two types of flour and baking powder into a homogeneous loose mass, beat the eggs with fermented baked milk, stir, if the dough turns out too thick, you can add water in a small amount. Place the dough on top, brush with butter or egg, bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 40 minutes.
Dried fruit cakes
100 g each of raisins, prunes, dried apricots and dates, a glass of almond milk, coconut flakes, and a little carob syrup.
Soak dried fruits in milk for 3-4 hours. Grind them into a paste with a blender, add syrup, and form balls with wet hands. Roll in coconut flakes. Place the balls on a glass plate and leave in the refrigerator for 4-5 hours. After this time, you can sprinkle a little more syrup and add shavings.
Raisins for the heart - strengthen the muscle
Having positive reviews about raisins, we can say for sure that they help restore and improve the functioning of the heart muscle. For this we need:
- Dried apricots, raisins, honey and nuts, prunes
- Dried fruits are mixed and lemon is added to them.
- Rinse and add boiled water. The mass is infused and cleaned.
- All ingredients are passed through a grinder.
- Honey is added.
Store the mixture in the refrigerator, eat 1 tbsp. l. in a day. Can be consumed with tea or coffee if health allows. Replaces sweets and harmful canned additives.
Harm of raisins
The harm to raisins is not due to the product itself, but to the method of its preparation, storage and transportation. Try to refrain from buying “dry” berries, just as you should not buy deliberately “plump” bright yellow raisins. In the first case, the product is likely sold past its expiration date, or cooked in a dehydrator with heat, which destroys a certain proportion of vitamins and minerals. In the second, the raisins are not completely dried, and may have already become “food” for microorganisms invisible to the eye.
Diabetics should avoid eating any raisins as they contain a lot of fructose and other sugars. The product of the first and second grade should not be included in baby food, only the highest grade. And of course, you don’t need to overeat raisins. For an adult who does not want to lose weight, the daily norm is no more than 100 g, for those who want to lose weight - 50 g, but not every day, but 2-3 times a week. The rest of the time, eat other dried fruits that contain more pectin, such as dried apples, prunes and dried apricots.
Recipes with raisins with step-by-step photos:
Dietary curd mass Couscous with fruit Cabbage salad with peanuts and raisins
Methods of obtaining
Raisins are obtained through a special technology for drying grapes, thanks to which it is possible to preserve their many beneficial properties. The chosen method of heat treatment allows us to emphasize the unusual and magnificent taste of such a delicacy. To obtain raisins, different grapes can be used, which must be fully ripe.
Today, there are several basic technologies for drying grapes, including using ovens and open air. The latter method is considered classic, making raisins tasty and preserving all vitamins, microelements and antioxidants.
The only drawback of natural drying is its duration, so most manufacturers simply abandoned such a slow heat treatment technology, using electric or gas ovens.
It is believed that the benefits and taste of raisins will be influenced by its variety, as well as the place where the fruit is collected. to obtain delicacies :
- Light varieties are often seedless. In the east, such dried sweets are known as raisins.
- Black raisins are seedless and are obtained from the Bilan grape variety.
- Golden - a magnificent delicate taste, according to the classic recipe it is made from Jumbo grapes.
- The large gray one is from a grape known by its name, Lady Fingers.
The choice will also depend on taste preferences: some people like golden varieties, while others are crazy about large or gray dried grapes.
Raisins - weakens or strengthens?
Raisins contain coarse dietary fiber, which has a laxative effect on the body. If we talk about fiber, it is less dangerous in such cases. Its content is not so high as to be able to influence the muscles of the rectum. To cause relief, a person needs to eat up to 2 kg of raisins in their pure form. When it is baked into a pie, its composition changes due to the effects of heat treatment and other products.
Holosas, senna, raisins for weight loss
The pharmaceutical preparation Holosas is a mixture of rosehip extract with ascorbic acid. Taken to enhance the outflow of bile, restore the liver, and in case of digestive disorders associated with insufficient activity of the pancreas. The syrup improves intestinal motility, accelerates metabolism, and removes excess fluid from the body. Since Holosas increases appetite, it is very difficult to lose weight on such a drug; there is a constant feeling of hunger.
To eliminate this drawback, the drug is combined with raisins and a beneficial herb – hay. Dried fruits take a long time to digest, thereby maintaining a state of satiety. Senna is a leguminous plant. Leaves are prized. They have a laxative effect, accelerate peristalsis, normalize intestinal microflora, improve the absorption of vitamins and minerals.
Useful properties of Holosas + senna + raisins:
- cleansing the body of toxins;
- improvement of gastrointestinal and liver functions;
- eliminating constipation;
- saturation with vitamins and nutrients;
- increased tone;
- strengthening the immune system;
- stimulation of metabolic processes;
- burning fat, losing weight.
Weight loss occurs due to increased metabolism and active intestinal function. Emptying occurs several times a day.
Raisins for weight loss - benefits and harm to the body, dietary recipes for dishes and decoctions
If you are struggling with excess weight, but do not want the diet to harm your body, then eating raisins when losing weight is an excellent option. 100 grams of such dried fruits contain only 276 kcal. Naturally, this is a bit much for dried fruits, and an order of magnitude more than what is found in white bread, but there is no need to rush to avoid using raisins for food. On the contrary, the use of black varieties can help solve the problem of getting rid of fat, especially in the waist area.
Reviews of those losing weight
Dear readers, was this article helpful? What do you think about such a product as raisins for weight loss? Leave feedback in the comments! Your opinion is important to us!
Ksenia
“I had to lose 5 kg. I didn’t particularly bother with diets, I just removed flour, sweets, fatty, and fried foods from my diet. Whenever I felt hungry, I ate raisins. A small handful is enough. In 2 weeks I lost excess weight, I left raisins in my diet, but I don’t eat it as often anymore.”
Angelina
“I lost weight on a mixture of Holosaps + senna + raisins. My course lasted a week. Lost 2.5 kg. Towards the end, acidity increased, heartburn and diarrhea appeared. The product is good, but it is not suitable for everyone. Anyone who has gastritis, peptic ulcers, or indigestion should not take this medicine.”
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