Kids are always hungry. For parents, finding a healthy snack can be difficult. It’s tough to get kids to eat fruit. They want chips or other junk food, but they aren’t the healthiest of choices. So, what’s a parent to do? A new study shows raisins might be the best answer.
The benefits of raisins for kids
“To our knowledge, this is the first controlled study that looks at after-school snacking and satiety among children,” said Harvey Anderson, Ph.D., Professor of Nutritional Sciences and Physiology, Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto. “We found consumption of raisins as a snack prevented excessive calorie intake, increased the feeling of fullness, and thereby may help contribute to the maintenance of a healthy weight in school-age children.”
Food intake following raisin consumption was lower and satiation greater compared to the other snacks.
- When eating raisins, children consumed significantly fewer calories when compared to the other snacks in the study
- Grapes, potato chips and cookies resulted in ~ 56 percent, 70 percent and 108 percent higher calorie intake compared to raisins, respectively
- Cumulative calorie intake (breakfast + morning snack + lunch + after-school snack) was 10 percent – 19 percent lower after raisins compared to other snacks
- Although all snacks reduced subjective appetite, desire-to-eat was lowest after consuming raisins
The benefits for raisins for adults:
Raisins, like dried apricots, figs, prunes, are concentrated sources of energy, vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants. On comparison to fresh ones; 100 g of dried grapes provide 249 calories, several times more fiber, vitamins, minerals and poly-phenol antioxidants. However, they contain less amounts of vitamin C, folic acid, carotenes, lutein and xanthins than in fresh grapes.
- As in grapes, raisins also contain phytochemical compound resveratrol. Resveratrol, a polyphenol anti-oxidant, has anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, blood cholesterol lowering activities. Studies suggest that resveratrol has been found to be protective against cancers like melanoma, colon and prostate, coronary heart disease (CHD), degenerative nerve disease, Alzheimer’s disease and viral/ fungal infections.
- Stats provided by Nutrition and You.
