Raisins are nature's answer to fattening sweets. They might not look very appetizing, but they pack a sweet punch that makes them a delight to eat as a snack throughout the day. With good amount of helpful substances like iron, they work great on gastrointestinal problems like constipation, and have excellent benefits for your entire body. But people would wonder, with such a sweet taste, are raisins fattening? Here the article will detail this answer.

Nutrition Facts of Raisins

When you get a handful of raisins – about 100 grams – you get about 299 calories. You also get great nutrition as listed below:

Are Raisins Fattening?

The good news is that raisins are not fattening at all. The fiber and protein content of raisins can curb your hunger, so the intake will not be too much. Serving size is the essential factor. Eating too much of anything, no matter how healthy it is for you, can wind up being fattening over time. So always check the serving size to make sure you don't go overboard with these tasty treats.

Also, there is a research showing that people consuming more dried fruits tend to have a lower BMI and body weight. Yet, relatively high calories in raisins make it not a good choice for calorie-controlled dietary plan.

Health Benefits of Raisins

So are raisins fattening? No, they aren't. Instead, they have lots of advantages and health benefits as listed below:

1. Helps With Your Gut

Raisins contain a good amount of fiber, which swells as it retains water. This can help ease your digestive system and promote healthy, regular bowel movements.

2. Healthy Bones

With good supply, raisins are often recommended for those who have trouble with their bones. Raisins also contain boron, which helps your body absorb the calcium into the bones.

3. Dental Health

There is a substance called oleanolic acid contained in raisins. It can help your teeth fight decay as well as prevent harmful bacteria from setting up residence in your gums.

4. Energy Boost

Raisins are little powerhouses of natural sugars, which can give you a nice burst of energy. With containing a load of glucose and fructose, raisins can help to improve the absorption of proteins, vitamins and other nutrition elements, and furtherly help with building up of the immune system. Consider a handful of them during a workout to keep your energy up.

5. Ease Infections

Raisins are antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, which means they are excellent at helping your body ward off infections of all kinds.

6. Reduce Acids

With the content of magnesium and potassium, raisins can work to expel toxins and decrease acidity, which furtherly help prevent the occurrence of arthritis, kidney stone, gout, heart disease, etc.

7. Protect Eyesight

Antioxidants in raisins have been proven to help with blocking free radicals, which are responsible for things like glaucoma and macular degeneration.

8. Help With Anemia

With relatively high content of iron and copper (essential factor of forming blood cells), raisins are good source of iron for people who have to deal with anemia. Raisins are also helpful in blood clotting while healing wound.

9. Stimulate Sex Drive

There is an amino acid called arginine that can be found in raisins. It is known to stimulate sex hormones and arouse your sex drive.

10. Prevents Cancer

Those nasty free radicals within body can lead to the tumor development, particularly the colon cancer. Raisins with antioxidant property can help to prevent the formation of tumor in the body.

How to Make Raisins At Home

Making your own raisins at home is a great alternative to buying the store brands, which mighthave added sugar for a sweeter taste. Making raisins at home is simple.

It begins with plump, seedless grapes that have been thoroughly washed and the stems removed.If you have a food dehydrator, simply follow the instructions for making raisins.If not, spread the grapes out on a baking sheet and turn the oven to 140 degrees. Dry the grapes for four to six hours, keeping the door of the stove propped open to promote even better airflow. Seal the raisins in an airtight container.

Now that you know the answer to "Are raisins fattening," as well as how to make your own, you are well on your way to better health!