Raisins are a nutrient-dense, energy-packed food, which makes them ideal for weight gain. If you want to follow a diet that's sustainable and healthy, however, it's important to eat a variety of nutrient-dense foods to gain weight rather than relying on one too heavily. Raisins can certainly help you put on weight in a safe way, but it's best to view them as an aid rather than as a singular solution.
Nutrition Facts
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1 oz. of seedless raisins constitutes about 60 raisins and contains 85 calories, 1 g protein, no fat, 22.5 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber and 17 g sugar. Raisins have a high energy density, which means they boast high calorie counts for small serving sizes. They're also packed with a lot of nutrients for their size; only about 15 percent of a raisin is water. Those properties stand in contrast to low energy-dense foods, which have high water percentages and low calorie counts and are best for weight loss rather than weight gain.
Downsides
MayoClinic.com encourages healthy adults to get about 55 percent of daily calories from carbohydrates, 20 percent from protein and 25 percent from fat. Raisins, however, have more than 20 times as many carbohydrate grams as they have fat or protein grams, which does not make them a very balanced food source for weight gain. At nearly 20 g of sugar per small serving, it's also worth noting that eating too many raisins may result in blood sugar spikes.
Balance
Although raisins have plenty of nutritional benefits, it's healthiest to eat many different calorie-rich foods to gain weight, including fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, dairy products and whole grains. Katherine Zeratsky, registered dietitian for MayoClinic.com, recommends having raisins and other dried fruit as snacks throughout the day and supplementing main meals with smoothies, milk and 100 percent juice to get in extra calories that have a wider variety of nutrients.
Considerations
Factors beyond just what you eat help determine how you look when you put on weight. If you want to gain lean muscle mass in addition to body fat, for example, CNN.com's Dr. Melina Jampolis recommends participating in regular strength training or weightlifting sessions, which may also serve to boost your appetite. To help determine how much weight you should gain and what you should be eating every day on your diet, speak with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
References
- USDA: Nutrient Data Laboratory
- MayoClinic.com; Energy Density and Weight Loss - Feel Full on Fewer Calories; January 20, 2011
- CNN.com; How Can I Boost Body Mass Index Without Adding Fat?; Melina Jampolis; April 30, 2010
- MayoClinic.com; Underweight? See How to Add Pounds Healthfully; Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.; August 27, 2009
- MayoClinic.com; Healthy Diet - End the Guesswork with These Nutrition Guidelines; February 22, 2011
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