Knowing how to snack right is essential to good health. When you replace unhealthy foods like chocolate and cakes with fruits like black raisins, you can give your body the nutrients and substance it needs to thrive.
Black raisins are one of the most popular dry fruits, and get their name from their black coloured skin. They’re highly recommended by health professionals for their host of health benefits.
One thing to know about black raisins is that they’re generally treated with sulphur dioxide after they’re dried in a dehydrator. This is why it’s recommended to soak them in water for a couple of hours before consuming them. It can help to strip off the unnecessary minerals on the outer skin of the raisin, so you’ll only get the actual nutrition from the food.
Intrigued to learn more about the benefits of black raisin water? Stay tuned for everything you need to know!1. Cures Anaemia
Black raisins are rich in iron, and they contain good amounts of iron, copper, and vitamins that are essential for making red blood cells and carrying oxygen throughout the body, thus preventing anaemia. Enjoying a handful of black raisins that have been soaked in water every day will ensure that you meet the daily iron requirements of the body.
2. Lowers LDL levels
One of the advantages of black raisins soaked in water are their LDL reduction properties. Raisin water has anti-cholesterol compounds in the form of soluble fibre that flushes out the cholesterol in the body and gives it good health.
One-half cup of raisins will give you 3.3 grams of fibre, or roughly 10 to 24 percent of your daily needs, so you know what to turn to if your daily fibre intake is low. Raisin water also contains enzymes that absorb cholesterol and reduce the levels in the body.
3. Regulates Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is one of the most common issues that exists today, and can lead to a whole host of serious problems in the body. The rich potassium levels in black raisin water makes it ideal for naturally lowering sodium levels in the body.
4. Curbs Food Cravings
With its high fibre content, if you enjoy black raisins soaked in water as part of your breakfast, you will benefit from feeling full for a longer period of time. This will help you to control your hunger pangs and prevent additional calorie intake mid-morning.
The natural fruit sugars like fructose and sucrose that are found in black raisin water have also been found to keep you full for longer. This way, black raisin water can help with weight loss, as it’ll help you to stay on track instead of reaching for the snacks.
5. Protects Teeth
Black raisins soaked in water are extremely good for your teeth. You might have actually heard the opposite about raisins, but a recent study has found that compounds in the popular fruit snack can actually fight tooth decay.
6. Benefits For Constipation
Black raisins soaked in water are known for their high amounts of dietary fibre, which can provide bulk to stools and help to prevent constipation by clearing your digestive tract. You might have heard the suggestion of eating more raisins if you’re backed up, and this is because for many people, they act as natural laxatives when soaked in water.
Eating soaked raisins not only help prevent constipation but also keep your digestion process strong, thanks to their ability to reduce bloating and flatulence due to the accumulation of abdominal gases.
7. Strengthens Bones
If you struggle with joint pain or have weak bones, black raisins soaked in water are the way to go. They contain calcium, which helps in strengthening the bones. Consuming black raisin water can help increase bone density and also help reduce the risk of arthritis and gout.
Along with good amounts of calcium, black raisin water also contains Boron, which has been proven to help enhance bone health by increasing how long vitamin D works in your body.
8. Treats Sexual Problems
If things are falling flat in the bedroom, black raisin water might be your new unlikely best friend. Raisins include an amino acid called Arginine, which has been said to stimulate the libido and induce arousal.
This same amino acid has also been found in research to potentially assist in enhancing sperm flow. So while it might seem bizarre, there is evidence that black raisin water can treat sexual problems and help you to maintain a healthy sexual relationship and even improve your chance of conception.
9. Cures Fever
One of the best natural treatments for fever is to snack on black raisins that have been soaked in water. Raisins are loaded with many vitamins and minerals that boost the immune system and help fight off infections.
The anti-inflammatory properties and the antibacterial properties of the dried fruit save you from fevers, infections and many types of illness. The copper content in black raisin water also makes it effective in treating a number of diseases that are characterised by fever amongst other symptoms.
10. Improves Vision
The polyphenolic phytonutrients present in black raisins soaked in water have been found to help protect your vision. The vitamin A and carotenoids found in black raisin water can protect the eye's retina and slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration.
They also act as powerful antioxidants to prevent cell damage by free radicals. You might have never assumed that black raisin water could contribute to good eye health at all, but there’s scientific evidence to say otherwise.
11. Meets Daily Protein Levels
A single serving of black raisins soaked in water contains around 3 percent of protein. Of course, we all know of protein’s importance in the body – it helps in building your muscles and also improves blood and bone health.
You can either enjoy soaked black raisins alone as a snack add black raisin water to your protein shake for improved results. Soaked raisins are also quite beneficial for babies, thanks to the amino acids they supply for healthy growth rate.
12. Boosts Energy Levels
Many people choose to enjoy soaked black raisins before a gym session, thanks to their ability to boost energy levels and help you to get the most out of your workout. A quarter cup of raisins soaked in water provides 31 grams of carbohydrates and 130 calories—perfect for boosting your energy levels when eaten as a snack.
The best thing is, while raisins will provide you with plenty of energy, they’re not particularly high-calorie, and won’t make you feel full or “heavy”, so you can power straight into your workout at full speed.
13. Keeps Kidneys Healthy
Eating foods rich in potassium, like black raisins soaked in water, helps prevent kidney stones from forming. It’s thought that black raisins can cleanse the body of toxins, helping the kidneys to flush out the harmful stuff that can lead to the formation of kidney stones in the first place.
Just make sure to drink plenty of water and enjoy low cholesterol foods alongside your black raisin water for the best chance of avoiding kidney stones going forward.
14. Heals Acidity Problems
Despite raisins’ tiny size, they’re incredibly beneficial to people who deal with acidity problems, like acid reflux. Full of fibre – which can help absorb excess stomach acid – black raisins soaked in water typically carry a pH above 4 and are considered a highly alkaline-forming food.
Also rich in calcium, iron, potassium, folate and vitamin C, black raisin water is even better when paired with toast or oatmeal, which are also both considered GERD-fighting foods.
15. Makes Skin Radiant
Achieving flawless skin largely comes down to diet, and black raisin juice is a particular food that may help massively. Eating a handful of black raisins soaked in water every day should help you to benefit from youthful, glowing, clear and healthy skin.
Black raisins contain antioxidants that rejuvenate the skin and prevent damage and sagging. They also purify the blood, and therefore can also keep acne and pimples away.
16. Anti-Ageing Properties
Black raisin juice contains antioxidants, which have been found in studies to help keep the skin cells young and prevent damage from ageing cells. Black raisins also contain valuable nutrients, including vitamin C, selenium, and zinc.
This combination of nutrients and antioxidants may be a helpful addition to a diet that focuses on promoting anti-ageing of the skin.
17. Benefits Hair Growth
If your hair seems to have stopped growing altogether – or worse, it’s beginning to shed – start consuming black raisin water today. The iron in black raisins soaked in water helps with blood circulation in the body and to the hair follicles.
This ensures the regulation of the hair growth functions, keeping hair fall at bay. Black raisin water is also full of biotin, a B vitamin that promotes hair growth and overall scalp health. A deficiency can cause brittle hair, so making sure you get enough biotin from natural sources is essential.
18. Prevents Greying of Hair
You can put a stop to the untimely greying of your hair by incorporating black raisins soaked in water into your daily diet. Black raisin water isn’t only packed with iron, but also contains a large amount of Vitamin C that facilitates the fast absorption of the iron and provides proper nourishment to the hair.
It's not uncommon to have low iron levels if you have premature hair greying, so if you think your iron levels may be low and you’re noticing a few greys coming through, you know what to do.
Black Raisins Side Effects
Although black raisins are known for their nutritional benefits, they can trigger complications in certain cases. Some of the side effects of eating too many black raisins soaked in water include:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Stomach-ache
- Acidity
- High blood sugar
- Breathing problems
Conclusion
Now that you’ve learnt the endless list of health benefits offered by black raisin water, it’s time to put them to good use. It’s a good idea to offer black raisin water to children and young toddlers, as well as consuming it during pregnancy, which will help to prevent nutritional deficiencies as well as providing you with an enjoyable snack.
You can find black raisins in pretty much any supermarket or health store. Organic is always best, but if you’re shopping on a budget, any will do.
After soaking them in water, add black raisins to your muesli or to your fruit salad as a tasty source of natural sweetness. Eating them in moderation can help to promote better well-being – so it’s time to up your intake of black raisins soaked in water today!
