Dried grapes or raisins is a dried fruit popular not only in our country, but also abroad. The product has incredible value. This is explained by the fact that after the grapes are dried, their beneficial qualities will increase several times. Sweetness is enriched with vitamins, macro- and microelements, as well as amino acids. If you welcome a healthy lifestyle, then raisins should be included in your diet without fail. The first mention of such a dish is found in ancient Egyptian texts, which date back to 2000 BC. The raisins were brought to Europe by Phoenician merchants somewhere in the X-IX centuries BC. But there are theories according to which even cavemen, having noticed the dried grapes on the vines, began to eat them. And the ancient Israelis with the help of raisins paid debts and taxes, paying attention, thus, to the value of this dried fruit.
Travel "grapes - raisins"
Dried grapes can be obtained in several ways. So, you can dry the berries in a natural way, that is, in the sun. And this procedure is called oftobi. To get raisins, ripened clusters are laid out on the ground on special bedding or suspended between vines for two weeks. Often, in order for the process to go a little faster, the fruits are dipped for several seconds in a soda hot solution. As a result of blanching, the protective glossy coating is removed and the skin is damaged. Thus, in just four to five days, all moisture has time to evaporate from the product. Raisins “cooked” in the sun turn out to be a little harsh, and therefore soyabe, or shadow drying, is considered a more gentle and natural method. This process is labor intensive and time consuming, and because of this, such dried berries are expensive and are not very common.
After shadow or solar drying in private farms, dried grapes are considered finished, and they are sent for sale to markets. If you think that the same dried fruits are sold in multi-colored bags in supermarkets, then you are deeply mistaken. Another fate is prepared for such raisins: shriveled berries after preliminary, not so long processing go to the plant. There they are washed, freed from stems and debris, sorted, additionally dried in ovens and only then packaged. Also, the fruits can be treated with sulfur dioxide, sulfites or sorbic acid, which makes dried grapes more beautiful and extends its shelf life.
Calorie content and raisin composition
Dried grapes have a very high calorie content. So, in one hundred grams of raisins, there are from 250 to 300 kilocalories. As mentioned above, the dried berries of grapes are a storehouse of valuable substances. They have sugar in the amount of 79.5-87.5%, ash (2-2.9%) and nitrogenous substances, which contain 2.1-2.9%. Dried fruits also have a small amount of acid, fiber and a sufficient norm of moisture.
In addition, it is important to consider that in the composition of berries there is a huge amount of dietary fiber, healthy carbohydrates and proteins. In small volumes, they contain organic acids and fats.
Vitamins such as A, B1 and B2, B5 and B6, C and PP are present in raisins. It also has boron, iron, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium.
Useful features
Dried grapes are extremely beneficial to the human body. Raisins help fight high cholesterol. Since it has a lot of boron, it is considered an excellent tool for the prevention of ailments of the nervous system. Boron, and accordingly dried grapes, strengthens memory and improves coordination. Potassium contained in dried fruit prevents heart rhythm disturbances. This element helps to remove excess sodium in the urine.
Raisins guarantee optimal mineralization of bone tissue, as well as its increased strength. A high percentage of fiber in dried grapes contributes to regular stools, which makes the intestines free of toxins. This is an excellent prophylaxis of bowel cancer. A unique feature of raisins can be considered that, despite the fact that it is enriched with sugar, the fiber contained in the product helps to strengthen the gums, promotes the mechanical cleansing of tooth enamel, and bactericidal combinations fight against the multiplication of microorganisms.
Harmful qualities
Dried fruits are not recommended for individuals with excess weight, enterocolitis, heart failure, diabetes mellitus and an active form of tuberculosis. Also, the harm of the product is associated with the features of its manufacture. So, raisins, and especially dried grapes with white berries, are often subjected to sulfur dioxide during production, which when consumed can cause asthma or provoke allergic reactions.
Many companies, in order to improve the taste of the product, add sugar to it during drying. In this regard, the calorific value and glycemic index of dried berries increase.
Varieties of Raisins
Experts distinguish several types of raisins:
- Regular - this is the most common variety, which is a dried white grapes of medium size with one bone.
- Sabza (kishmish) - a light, small dried fruit made from white grape varieties that do not contain seeds.
- Large stone fruit - the length of raisins reaches 2.5 centimeters. Each berry has two to three large bones.
- Cinnamon is a very dark, slightly dry raisin without stones.
We dry grapes at home
You can even make dried grapes at home . Harvesting for the winter does not require much effort. So, first you need to carefully sort out the ripe clusters, removing from them unripe and damaged fruits. Then the berries must be thoroughly washed, folded in a colander and blanched for two to three seconds in a special solution at a temperature of 95-97 degrees. This should be a solution of baking soda, for the preparation of which should be dissolved in a liter of water five to eight grams of soda. After blanching, immediately rinse the product with running water or immerse it in cold water.
Then the grapes are sent to the oven, where it will be dried at a temperature of 65-75 degrees. The dried raisins are aired, kept in a box for two or three days, and then laid out in jars and sealed.
Cooking raisins
The name of dried grapes is known even to a child. This, of course, is raisins. And he found his widest application in cooking. Add it to bakery products, puddings, salads and cakes. It is used for stuffing meat, cooking kvass and stewed fruit. In Central Asia, this product is held in high esteem. Here it is an indispensable ingredient for pilaf, turkey meat and lobio. Raisins are also mixed with other types of dried fruits and consumed instead of sweets and chocolate.