Are Raisins Plant Based?

Nuts are energy-rich foods that provide essential vitamins and minerals. Adding them to your daily diet gives the nutrition your body needs for better health and vitality. Raisins are a nutritious dried fruit that not only makes a delicious snack but also adds a nice texture to dishes. 

So, are raisins plant based? Yes, raisins are completely plant based because they come from whole fruits. Raisins are essentially dried grapes dried in the sun. They are naturally sweet and a complete food ideal for munching on when following a plant-based diet. 

Let us try to learn more about what goes into raisins to find out whether you should really include them in your plant-based diet. 

Why Raisins Are Plant Based?

Raisins are merely dried grapes and contain no other ingredient, hence, completely plant based. They are generally made by sun drying grapes and don’t involve any chemical processing. Most brands sell them in their natural form and are ideal for plant based diet followers.

Raisins are a natural, wholesome, plant-based snack without any added ingredients. But sometimes, they are processed with other ingredients that may not be plant-based. So it is important to make sure you get them in their natural form. 

What Are The Main Ingredients in Raisins?

Raisins are naturally sweet and have their own unique taste and texture. This is why they are consumed as they are without adding any other ingredients. They are obtained by simply drying grapes in the sun after a pre-treatment and washed before packaging.

Though raisins rarely have added ingredients, you should look out for exceptions. Some brands may add flavors or animal products to raisins for some reasons. So, if you buy flavored raisins, make sure it contains plant-based ingredients. 

Some of the most common ingredients found in raisins include egg protein, honey, lactose, vitamin D3 and artificial sweeteners. It is best to avoid raisins that contain other ingredients and flavors. Raisins are available in their natural form in yellow, brown and purple varieties and can be added to a variety of dishes like oatmeal, nuts and yogurt. 

Raisins Nutrition

Raisins are one of the best choices for nuts as they pack a lot of nutrients. You should know what they exactly are to get the maximum benefit. Raisins are made from grapes so have the same nutritional profile, though they can have a little higher amount of nutrients. 

You should also be careful of the calorie content before adding raisins to your diet. Their small size may suggest they are low in calories. Here is the nutritional information for 100 grams of raisins in popular varieties.

	Golden raisins	Dark raisins	Currants
Calories	301	299	290
Carbohydrates(g)	80	79	77
Fiber(g)	3.3	4.5	4.4
Protein(g)	3.2	3.3	3.4
Fat(g)	0.2	0.25	0.23
Sugar(g)	65.7	65.1	62.2

Raisins are rich in calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorus and vitamin C. They are a wholesome dried fruit option with a lot of nutrients. They have high sugar and calorie content and should be consumed in moderation. 

Conclusion

So, is it a good idea to include raisins in a plant-based diet? Absolutely, they are completely plant-based and highly nutritious with several health benefits. You should, however, watch the portion to limit your sugar and calorie intake for a healthy plant-based diet.