One of the best and healthy snacks for kids and adults…
What are Raisins?
Raisins are dried grapes/currants. However, unlike fresh grapes, they are indeed rich and dense natural sources of energy, vitamins, electrolytes, and minerals. In addition, they are packed with many health benefiting poly phenolic anti-oxidants, dietary fiber, and other phyto-nutrients.
Commercially, dried grapes of the Vinifera varieties, such as Thompson Seedless (Sultana), Sugarone, Calmeria, Corinth... etc are processed and graded further before sold. In general, fresh grapes either seedless or seeded are subjected to sundry or in mechanical drying techniques. In some cases, the whole bunch of grapes may be allowed to dry in the vine itself (vine-dried). Their moisture content should not exceed 16% of dry weight. Thoroughly dried raisins are further stemmed, cap-stemmed, sorted, and cleaned in order to obtain clean, sound, dried berries.
Health benefits of raisins
■They are also good source of some B-complex vitamins such as thiamin, pyridoxine, riboflavin, and pantothenic acid.
■Raisins, like dried apricots, figs, prunes, are concentrated sources of energy, vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants.
■They are gluten free and can be consumed by people who do not tolerate gluten as an alternative healthy food.
■As in grapes, raisins also contain phytochemical compound resveratrol. Resveratrol, a polyphenol anti-oxidant, has anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, blood cholesterol lowering activities.
■In addition, resveratrol reduces stroke risk by altering the molecular mechanisms in the blood vessels. It does so firstly by reducing susceptibility of blood vessels damage through decreased activity of angiotensin
■Like in grapes they, especially those derived from red/purple grapes, are very high in anthocyanins, another class of polyphenolic anti-oxidants.
■100 g raisins provide 3.7 g or 10% of daily-required levels of dietary fiber. Studies suggest moderate fiber in the diet help lower body weight, cholesterol levels in the blood, and colon and breast cancer incidence as well as constipation episodes by decreasing GI transit time of food.
■Raisins are dense sources minerals like calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium copper, flouride, and zinc. Copper and manganese are an essential co-factor of antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. 100 g provides 23% daily requirement levels of iron.
■In addition, they are rich in heart healthy electrolyte potassium. 100 g provide 749 mg of potassium. Potassium reduces heart rate, blood pressure by countering sodium and thereby helps prevent stroke, CHD, and peripheral vascular diseases.
New Research-Snacking On Raisins Controls Hunger, Promotes Satiety in Children
New research recently announced at the Canadian Nutrition Society annual meeting in Vancouver, B.C., suggests eating raisins as an after-school snack prevents excessive calorie intake and increases satiety - or feeling of fullness - as compared to other commonly consumed snacks.
The study, funded by a grant from the California Raisin Marketing Board, was conducted among 26 normal-weight boys and girls ages 8 - 11 during a three-month timeframe. Study participants were randomly assigned to eat raisins or other snacks, including grapes, potato chips or chocolate chip cookies, until they were comfortably full. Additionally, each child received the same standardized breakfast; morning snack and lunch on test days. Subjective appetite was measured before and immediately after snack consumption at 15-minute intervals. Key study findings include:
Food intake following raisin consumption was lower and satiation greater compared to the other snacks
When eating raisins, children consumed significantly fewer calories when compared to the other snacks in the study
Grapes, potato chips and cookies resulted in ~ 56 percent, 70 percent and 108 percent higher calorie intake compared to raisins, respectively
Cumulative calorie intake (breakfast + morning snack + lunch + after-school snack) was 10 percent -19 percent lower after raisins compared to other snacks
Although all snacks reduced subjective appetite, desire-to-eat was lowest after consuming raisins
The study was conducted by lead researcher, G. Harvey Anderson, Ph.D., Professor of Nutritional Sciences and Physiology, Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto and co-investigated by Nick Bellissimo, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, School of Nutrition, Ryerson University and Bohdan Luhovyy, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Applied Human Nutrition, Mount Saint Vincent University. To our knowledge, this is the first controlled study that looks at after-school snacking and satiety among children," said Anderson. "We found consumption of raisins as a snack prevented excessive calorie intake, increased the feeling of fullness, and thereby may help contribute to the maintenance of a healthy weight in school-age children.
(Source-Canadian Nutrition Society annual meeting)
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