A raisin basically is a dried grape. The word raisin originated from Old French which means grape. Did you know that raisins were first discovered by the Egyptians in 2000 BC by accident? They found out that when grapes fell off the vines and were left to dry they became sweet. This can happened because during drying process the sugar content crystallizes and becomes concentrated.

There are many varieties of raisins. They depend on the type of grape used and the variety of sizes and colors, including black, brown, yellow, blue, green, and purple. The traditional way to make raisins is sun-dried, but there are also water-dripped process and artificial dehydrated process.

Raisins are high in oleanolic acid which  is good for removing bacteria that causes bad breath and they protect the teeth from plaque decay. They are also known for curing anemia because of its richness of vitamin B and iron. The sugars content is about 72% of its weight and also have 3% protein and about 3.7%–6.8% dietary fiber. Raisins also have high antioxidants but lower vitamin C than fresh grapes. Golden raisins have higher antioxidant capacity than black raisins.

It is recommended to have raisins as a snack if you want to control weight because raisins can help you to control glucose and they are also good for your digestive system and regulate blood pressure. However, if you have a dog, try not to give it raisins. Dogs can have renal failure for having raisins as their snacks. The cause of this is still not known.