Raisins may not be extremely nutrient dense in a superfood sense, but they are high in boron which helps prevent bone loss which is especially good for post-menopausal women, women in general in fact, and older men. They are also very high in phenols, a compound that has antioxidant activity, meaning that it reduced oxidative stress in the body. His means it has cleansing, anti-aging properties. Because raisins are reduced of their water content (as grapes of course), they are fairly calorie-dense and therefore are better as a small snack. Oddly enough, I like to eat them with carrots or even rolled in lettuce. The hydrating, alkaline properties of vegetable do help draw through anything drier and less alkaline, or acidic that are eaten with them.
How to eat them
Raisins are delicious added to a salad, on an almond or other nut butter sandwich in place of high sugar jam, or just by a handful. Also, having them as a snack is a much better option that going for candy or other sugary pick-me-up – healthier by far, while providing the ‘sweet’ taste that we crave.
TIPS:
- Buy organic
- Buy in bulk where you can see the quality of what you are buying
- Store them in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for ultimate freshness
- Eat them within 6 months
Great Alternatives:
Prunes/Dried Apricots