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Black raisins are a source of nutritious energy and help enrich your health. In this article, lea about their benefits and how to add them to your meals.

What are black raisins?
Black raisin is a type of dried grape that is native to the Mediterranean, Central Europe and Southwest Asia.

These raisins are generally seedless and sweet in taste. This is why this natural sweetener is used in a wide variety of baked goods such as cookies, cakes and pies. Black raisin is also used for many applications in the preparation of traditional medicine to treat cough and inflammation in respiratory tract diseases.

Nutritional value of black raisins
According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, raisins are a rich source of natural sugars, fiber and carbohydrates. They also contain a significant amount of protein. 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.[1]

Let's find out how these nutrients help improve our health.

 
Benefits of black raisins
Black raisins help prevent cavities and gum disease, control diabetes, enhance cognition, regulate digestion, and regulate healthy blood pressure as well as cholesterol levels.

1- Protect cardiovascular health
Eating black raisins regularly can be very beneficial for you. They are an important source of dietary fiber and polyphenols that may protect your heart health. An article in the joual Lipid in Health and Disease [2] suggests that adding raisins to your diet may have beneficial effects on your body. This suggests that raisins can help reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol levels as well as regulate blood pressure. Soaking black raisins at night and eating them early in the moing is an old remedy used to treat high blood pressure in India and other countries.

2- Improve oral health
Having 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 at Chicago, raisins contain antimicrobial compounds such as olanolic acid, olanolic aldehyde, linoleic acid and linolenic acid. [3] They fight oral pathogens and protect your gums from cavities and disease.

5- Blood sugar control
Black raisins have a low to moderate glycemic index (GI), which means that the carbohydrates in these dried fruits do not significantly affect blood sugar levels. [4] Also, various studies have proven that black raisins are very useful in regulating blood sugar levels. [5] [6] A 2015 trial found that consuming raisins instead of processed snacks could help improve glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes. [7]

6- Improving memory
It is very important that fruits and vegetables are rich in nutrients to reduce the risk of age-related diseases. An animal study has been conducted by research centers from Iran, Australia and Canada to determine the effect of consuming raisins on brain tissue in aged rats. [8] The results show that black raisins have excellent antioxidant properties that help improve cognition as well as memory.

7- Anti-cancer
A 2013 research study published in the joual Food and Function suggests that raisins help fight colon cancer cells. [9] which is possible due to the presence of phenolic compounds in these dry grapes. Also, the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-dispersive properties of black raisins help in maintaining your immunity from cancer.

8- Helping digestion
Black raisins reduce the risk of constipation due to their high fiber content. And it relieves your digestive problems. 

Various ways to eat black raisins

• There are many wonderful ways to eat black raisins:
• The classic way is to add raisins to your oatmeal cookies
• You can top your sweets with sugar raisins.
• Surprise green salads by adding black raisins to them.
• Add a handful of raisins to cereal or yogurt and enjoy its fresh taste.
• The easiest way is to put a handful of raisins and chickpeas in a bowl and eat them while enjoying watching movies and series.