With the festive season around the corner, it’s a common sight in every Indian household to make delicious sweet, especially Kheer. This milky sweet loaded with dry grapes makes it a delectable dish! Dry grapes leave a blast of flavour in our mouth with their sweet and sour taste. Apart from adding deliciousness to any food, dry grapes offer many health benefits. From treating constipation to improving haemoglobin in the body, these tangy dry fruits can be your perfect health partners. Let’s learn a little more in detail about dry grapes health benefits and how to consume them!
What Are Dry Grapes?
Dry grapes are also called Kishmish (Hindi) or EndhuDraksha (Telugu) in local languages. They are prepared by drying green grapes or black grapes. The golden colour ones are originally called Sultanas, while the dark coloured ones are called Raisins. Dry Grapes come in both seeded and seedless versions, based on the fruit they are made from. They are sweet in taste with a sour undertone and are used in cooking, particularly desserts.
Are Dry Grapes Good For Health?
Dry Grapes are packed with nutrition and are a rich source of dietary fibre. They are also low in fat and cholesterol, making them a healthy snacking option. The high levels of Potassium present in dry grapes can effectively lower blood pressure. The presence of abundant amounts of sugars like glucose and fructose helps in lowering the appetite and aiding in weight loss. That’s not all! Read on to know the many other uses of dry grapes in detail!
Dry Grapes Nutrition Facts:
Check out the nutrition information of Dry Grapes per 100 gms Serving:
- Total Calories: 299
- Total Fat: 0.5 gm
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 11 mg
- Potassium: 749 mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 79 gm
- Dietary Fiber: 3.7 gm
- Sugar: 59 gm
- Protein: 3.1 gm
- Iron: 10 %
- Vitamin B6: 10 %
- Magnesium: 8 %
- Vitamin C: 5 %
How To Prepare Dry Grapes?
While buying packed dry grapes from the store is the easiest option, you cannot always guarantee the quality and taste of them. Also, it’s so much fun to make your own raisins and add them to your desserts, Isn’t it?
There are two ways to prepare dry grapes at home – Sun Drying & Oven. The process for each is as follows:
i) Sun Dry:
Things Needed:
- Fresh Grapes – 1 Bunch.
- A Big Tray.
- Kitchen Towel.
- Lots of Sunshine.
Process:
- Wash the grapes thoroughly with water and clean them to wipe off any moisture left.
- Spread them on a tray leaving a gap between each grape.
- Cover the tray with a kitchen towel.
- Leave under the hot sun for at least 3 days, depending on the result.
- Store them in a container and use when needed.
ii) Oven:
Things Needed:
- Fresh Grapes – 1 Bunch.
- Kitchen Towel.
- Oven.
- Baking Tray.
Process:
- Clean grapes thoroughly with water and wipe off excess moisture with a towel.
- Set your oven to 225°F (107 °C) and preheat for 15 minutes.
- Place the grapes on a baking tray and spread them evenly.
- Bake them for about 4 hours.
- Get them out of the oven and store in a container after cooled.
Note: You can also make raisins using a dehydrator at home. You can follow the same process of baking in an oven, but set the temperature to 135 °F (57 °C).
How To Eat Dry Grapes and What Is The Best Time To Eat?
Dry Grapes can be enjoyed at any time of the day, but are quite beneficial to health when you took them early in the morning. The best way to make them is to soak them in water overnight and eat them the next morning on an empty stomach. You can even have them in between meals to suppress your hunger and make you feel satisfied.
How Many Dry Grapes Can I Take Daily?
Raisins are the tastiest and easiest way to snack anytime and anywhere. Due to its numerous health benefits, the recommended daily dosage is 1/4 cup or 40 gm approximately. Exceeding this limit may increase your sugar levels and potassium percentage in the body, which can be quite dangerous.
Evidence-Based Benefits Of Eating Dry Grapes:
Here we enlisted, 12 evidence-based Advantages of Dry grapes for skin, hair and health. Let’s have a look into them.
Dry Grapes Health Benefits:
Here we enlisted top 10 dry grapes health benefits. Let’s have a look into them.
1. Treats Constipation:
Preventing Constipation is the main health benefit of dry grapes. Dried grapes usually swell in the body because of the natural fluids. This helps in regulating the food in the digestive system and aids in proper bowel movements. The insoluble fibre in the dried grapes also works in this direction. A handful of soaked dry grapes can help in easy bowel movements the next morning.
2. Cures Anaemia:
There are good levels of iron in dry grapes. The vitamin B complex as well helps in the formation of new blood. The essential mineral copper is also present for red blood cells formation. This helps in preventing anaemia in the body and helps you deal with dizziness, lethargy and fatigue.
3. Leads To Healthy Weight Gain:
There are fructose and glucose in dried grapes that gives energy to the body without any accumulation of unhealthy fats in the body. Vitamins, proteins, minerals and many other essential nutrients in the dried grapes help in improving immunity as well. On the other hand, people use dry grapes for weight loss, as eating them before meals can curb the appetite and help in losing weight.
4. Control Diabetes:
To lower the insulin levels, dried grapes are a perfect one. It also ensures the absorption of the sugar thus keeps away diabetes. Leptin and ghrelin are two enzymes that will help in maintaining the right levels of sugar in the body. However, it is important to stick to the daily dosage limit to prevent the symptoms from getting reversed due to high amounts of Glucose in dry grapes.
See More: Grapes Uses
5. Cures High Temperatures:
The antioxidant, antibiotic and germicidal properties of dried grapes can fight off bacterial and viral infections and thus helps in treating fever and balancing the body temperature. It is recommended to drink the soaked raisin water to cool down the body immediately and make you feel energetic again.
6. Treatment of Hypertension:
It has been known for quite long now that dried grapes help in the treatment of high blood pressure as well as protects the heart from all kinds of diseases. The high level of potassium in them helps in relaxing the blood vessels and strengthening the blood vessels lining for this purpose. The dietary fibre also helps in reducing the stiffness in the vessels.
7. Bone Health Advantage:
There is calcium in dried grapes too. Calcium is one of the most important nutrients needed for bone and teeth health and to make them strong. The boron content ensures that there is proper absorption of calcium to the bones. It is good for the joints as well. Another nutrient that helps here is potassium. It enhances overall bone health as well.
8. Dry Grapes Benefits During Pregnancy:
There are numerous benefits of dry grapes during pregnancy. Having the recommended dosage of Raisins daily throughout this period can help in improving your iron levels, increase haemoglobin percentage and also treat constipation. The sugars present in them can help you deal with weakness, nausea and loss of appetite.
9. Sexual Dysfunction:
Dry grapes are great in boosting your sexual libido. They are packed with many nutrients that can make you sexually active and increase the production of sexual hormones. Vitamin A present in dry grapes can maintain vaginal health in women and also aid in the secretion of progesterone.
See More: Black Grapes Uses
10. Prevent Cancer:
Raisins are loaded with many powerful antioxidants called polyphenols, which have shown to fight cancer cells. Regular consumption of dry grapes can help in controlling tumour growth in breasts, colon and even on skin. These antioxidants also help in protecting the body from the damage caused by free radicals and encourage new cell growth.
Dry Grapes Benefits For Skin:
Here we enlisted dry grapes benefits for the skin. Let’s have a look into them.
11. Flawless Facial Skin:
Dry grapes benefits for skin, particularly for your face are too good to believe. The nutrients present in them can help in reversing signs of ageing like wrinkles, fine lines and dark spots. Vitamin C present in raisins can lighten skin and make your face bright.
How To Apply
- All you need to do is to make a fine paste of Raisins with milk or rose water and apply on your face once a week to glow like a star!
Dry Grapes Benefits For Hair:
Here we enlisted dry grapes benefits for hair. Let’s have a look into them.
12. Uses Of Dry Grapes For Hair Health:
Dry grapes improve the blood circulation in the body that also reaches well to the hair follicles. This helps in improving the health of the hair as well as promotes hair growth. It keeps away various scalp infections and hair loss problems as well.
Side Effects Of Dry Grapes:
Remember the saying, “Too much of anything can be bad”? It applies to dry grapes also. Exceeding the daily dosage limits can result in many side effects such as:
- High sugar levels.
- Lowered sodium levels.
- Increased Potassium levels.
- Acidity.
- Stomach Upset.
- Bloating.
- Loss of Appetite.
See More: Grape Juice Uses
Surprised at how these everyday ingredients can be so beneficial to us? Raisins are one of the best gifts of nature and are a perfect way to enjoy the taste and nutrition of grapes around the year. They can be given even to children of 1+ years and are quite safe on their tender tummies. Whether you grab a handful of raisins on the way to work or blend them in your puddings, dry grapes will do plenty well for you! Now that you have learned about dry grapes benefits, make sure to have them every day to enjoy great health!