Raisins

Also known asDried Grapes · Vitis vinifera · 葡萄干

Name: Raisin — the dried form of the grape, Vitis vinifera. Most commonly made from dark seedless varieties such as Thompson Seedless, dried until the skin darkens to a deep brown or near-black.

Description

Grapes suited to raisin-making are typically thin-skinned, seedless, and high in sugar, which lets them dry down into a dense, chewy fruit rather than spoiling. Grapevines have been cultivated for thousands of years across the Mediterranean and Middle East, and raisin production remains concentrated today in a handful of hot, dry growing regions — chiefly Turkey and the United States, which together account for roughly four-fifths of world output, followed by Iran, Greece, Chile, and South Africa.

Sun-drying grapes into raisins is one of the oldest fruit-preservation methods on record, practised in Persia and Egypt as far back as 2000 BCE and referenced repeatedly in ancient texts; the Greeks and Romans used raisins as offerings and athletic prizes. “Natural” raisins like this dark variety are simply laid out to dry in the sun with no chemical treatment, which is what darkens their skin. California's raisin industry, still the center of U.S. production, dates to Thompson Seedless vines planted there in 1851.

Main nutrition value

Per 100g, dried raisins (dark, seedless):

Raisins stand out mainly for potassium — 744mg per 100g, several times what the fresh grape carries — plus a meaningful amount of iron and fiber, with smaller contributions of copper and manganese.

How best to be consumed

Because drying concentrates both sugar and calories, a sensible serving is closer to a small handful than a cupful — USDA's own reference portions run from a mini box (14g) to a small box (43g) or about 60 raisins (28g). Raisins work well scattered over cereal or oatmeal, baked into breads and cookies, or mixed into savory rice and grain dishes, where their concentrated sweetness stands in for added sugar.

Overconsumption could cause…

Raisins pack roughly four to five times the sugar and calories of fresh grapes by weight, so eating them by the cupful rather than the handful can add up quickly and is worth watching for anyone managing blood sugar or weight. Their sticky texture also clings to teeth, making them more likely than most fruit to contribute to dental cavities if eaten often without following up with water or brushing.

GroupsDried FruitsGrape family (Vitaceae)Low sodiumRich in potassiumDried

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U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central — Raisins, dark, seedless (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program) (FDC ID 168165), 100g portion: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/168165/nutrients Encyclopaedia Britannica — raisin: https://www.britannica.com/topic/raisin