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Raisin Nutrition Information

The US Department of Agriculture's food pyramid recommends seven to nine servings of fruits and vegetables per day and raisins can be a sweet way to meet your nutritional needs. Natural, flavorful and nutritious raisins make a tasty snack or addition to favorite recipes.

  1. Nature's Snack

    • Raisins are seedless grapes preserved naturally through sun-drying or heated dehydration. These delicious fruits contain no saturated fats, no trans fats and no cholesterol. Raisins are nearly sodium-free, promoting a healthy heart and a strong circulatory system. Grapes taste sweeter as raisins, but a quarter cup of raisins contains only 130 calories. One serving of wholesome raisins adds 2 percent of the recommended daily value of calcium and 6 percent of the recommended daily value of iron.

    Vitamins and Minerals in Raisins

    • Nutritious raisins are loaded with B vitamins including B6, thiamin, riboflavin and niacin---all of which benefit nerve health---and vitamin K, which promotes blood clotting. Raisins are rich in vitamin C, a natural immune system booster. Raisins contain major minerals that benefit body systems: bone building calcium, magnesium and phosphorus, blood building iron, and potassium, the body's muscle and nerve regulator. Raisins contain "trace" minerals, too. Tiny amounts of these elements go a long way in maintaining health. Manganese aids healing and metabolic processes. Copper rebuilds connective tissue, produces blood hemoglobin and strengthens the skeletal system.

    Other Health Benefits

    • Grapes and raisins contain antioxidants that fight cancer and age related diseases. A daily, quarter cup serving of raisins contributes about 9 percent of the 20 to 35 grams of dietary fiber recommended for digestive health. Evidence suggests that a high-fiber diet low in fats may prevent colorectal cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer and gallbladder disease.

    Raisin Research

    • A study by Dr. Christine Wu at the University of Illinois College of Dentistry indicated that raisins reduced gum disease and tooth decay by neutralizing harmful oral bacteria.
      Cornell University researcher, Dr. Andrew Dannenberg, showed that catechin, an antioxidant in raisins, decreased intestinal tumors in mice.
      Several studies measuring the effectiveness of raisins as an energy food found that fatigue decreased and endurance increased in raisin consumers.

    The Convenience and Storage of Raisins

    • Raisins come in large boxes or convenient, snack-sized packs. Store the fruit in a cool, dry place and be sure to refrigerate after opening. Raisins have a long shelf life---up to two years in the refrigerator and longer if frozen.

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