The first written record of raisins may be from the Bible, during the reign of King David about 1,000 B.C., according to a publication from the University of California. Eating raisins in moderation will not harm your weight-loss efforts, but it also will not cause you to lose weight. A healthy weight-loss plan is one that incorporates a variety of foods and encourages you to create a calorie deficit through lowered calorie intake and increased physical activity.
Types and Food Group
Raisins come in golden and black varieties, and the Thompson Seedless variety is the most common type of grape used for raisin production in the United States, according to Peter Christensen, one of the authors of the "Raisin Production Manual." Raisins can help you meet your fruit requirement; 1/2 c of raisins equals 1 c of canned or chopped fruit, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The dried fruit's concentration of nutrients gives it more calories per cup. If you reduce your calories to 1,200 or 1,800 while dieting, you can have the equivalent of either 1 or 1-1/2 cups of a variety of fruits each day.
Calories and Nutrients
Raisins have high caloric content relative to the serving size. A 1/2 c serving of loosely packed golden or black raisins contains about 217 calories, and a small raisin box has 129 calories, according to the USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory. Raisins contain about 2 g of protein and 3 g of fiber per 1/2 cup, and have just a trace of fat. When you eat adequate amounts of protein while losing weight, you may preserve the content of bone mineral in your body, according to a study published in the August 2009 issue of the "Annual Review of Nutrition." Women should have at least 46 g of protein a day, and men need 56 g every day. Raisins also give you a gram of iron, 543 mg of potassium, 4 mcg of folate and traces of thiamin, riboflavin and niacin in 1/2 cup.
Benefits
Raisins offer no inherent weight-loss benefit, but when you eat them as part of a low-calorie diet, you may find that raisins satisfy your sweet tooth and aid in digestion. Eating foods with soluble and insoluble fiber, such as raisins, may help you lose weight because fiber makes you feel full longer and aids in controlling your blood sugar levels, according to Wendy Caamano and Debra Boutin, writing for Bastyr University. Raisins also take awhile to chew, which may help you control how many you eat at one time.
Strategies
Like any other high-calorie food, use raisins sparingly while on a diet. Add 1 tbsp. of raisins to oatmeal or a green salad to add nutrients and texture. Make a low-fat carrot and raisin salad by using Greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise, or add nutrients to bran muffins by including raisins.
References
- University of California Agricultural Issues Center; Commodity Profile: Raisins (Dried Grapes); Marcia Kreith, et al.; September 2006
- "Raisin Production Manual"; Raisin Grape Varieties; L. Peter Christensen, et al.; 2000
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010
- USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory: Raisins
- "Annual Review of Nutrition"; Dietary Protein, Weight Loss, and Weight Maintenance; M.S. Westerterp-Plantenga, et al.; August 2009
- Bastyr University; Fiber and Weight Loss; Wendy Caamano, et al.; February 2010
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