Raisins are a convenient and versatile snack you can eat almost anywhere. A raisin's sweet taste and distinct wrinkled texture makes for a healthy snack, especially for your heart. You can find raisins at almost any grocery or whole foods store. They are an inexpensive treat for your entire family and their benefits reach beyond heart health.
Health Benefits
Raisins are heart-healthy because they may be able to reduce cholesterol oxidation -- a contributing factor leading to atherosclerosis, explains Raisins.net. A diet that includes unrefined fruits, such as raisins, can help lower high blood cholesterol levels and triglyceride levels. This can improve your overall heart health and reduce your risk for certain heart-related medical conditions, such as heart attack, stroke and hypertension. Having a healthy heart from eating a low-fat diet along with regular exercise of 30 minutes a day up to five days a week can help you look and feel better.
Nutritional Information
Eating raisins daily covers a lot of your recommended nutritional needs. A 1/4 cup of raisins has around 130 calories per serving Raisins. Raisins are cholesterol- and fat-free, which makes them a heart-healthy snack. Raisins are loaded with 310 mg of potassium. Potassium is good for your heart because it helps regulate your heart muscle and controls the electrolyte function in the body. Raisins are low in sodium -- lower sodium levels help improve circulation and blood flow to your heart and other vital organs. Raisins also contain 31 g of carbohydrate per serving -- this provides a good source of instant energy for during or after a workout.
Process
A raisin starts off as a grape and then goes through an intense drying process. Using an oven or the heat from the sun to dry out the grapes, then they are sorted, cleaned and packaged. Some raisins are soaked in warm water and then air dried in a moisture-rich environment to prevent the skins from over-drying. This process may also trap more heart-healthy nutrients in the raisin. Examples of some types of raisins include Zante Currant, Muscat, Thompson Seedless, Sultana and Malaga. Buying raisins that are organic or have minimal preservatives added will assure you are getting the healthiest serving.
Eating Options
Enjoying an all-natural snack, such as raisins, is a convenient way to have a heart-healthy snack any time. Raisins are resistant to temperatures so you can take them with you to prevent reaching for an unhealthy snack or sweet. Raisins make a healthy addition to trail mix when you add nuts, sunflower seeds and other dried fruits, such as apple slices, bananas and cherries. You can also incorporate raisins into a heart-healthy meal by putting them on salads, desert or adding them to your favorite sauces to pour over lean meats and poultry.
