Snaking on raisins reduces post meal blood sugar levels

Vitis vinifera (Common grape) has been present and part of our diets since the Neolithic period, being harvested since thousands of years ago both, for medicinal and nutritional value [1]. Raisins are dried grapes that may be eaten either raw, as part of after meal snacks or even used in elaborated culinary dishes and menus.  Image: Raisins by bongo vongo under Creative Common license (CC BY 2.0).

Raisins have also the same medicinal and nutritional values of Vitis vinifera (Common grape), while keeping a sweeter flavor and higher contents of fiber. Indeed, raisins have both types of fibre, viscous and insoluble fibers [2]. As you may already know viscous fibers are good because they delay gastric emptying of ingested foods into the small intestine, giving you the sensation of fullness, reducing blood glucose concentration, potentially benefiting insuling sensitivity [2,4] and improving cholesterol levels [2], and insoluble fibers, which are poorly absorbed by our body, characteristic that makes them ideal to improve fecal bulk and ameliorate constipation, playing a very important role to increase our total dietary fiber intake [2].

If that wasn't enough, now, the results of a research presented at the American Diabetes Association’s 72nd Annual Scientific Session suggests eating raisins three times a day may significantly lower postprandial (post-meal) glucose levels when compared to common alternative snacks of equal caloric value [3].

VITIS VINIFERA

Family: Vitaceae
Genus: Vitis
Common name: Common grape vine

The study, conducted at the Louisville Metabolic and Atherosclerosis Center (L-MARC) by lead researcher, Harold Bays, MD, medical director and president of L-MARC, involved 46 men and women that were previously diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. They were randomly given pre-packaged snacks, raisings, fruits or vegetables, three times per day for a period of 12 weeks. The findings showed that the group consuming raisins had a significant statistical reduction in their after-liquid meal blood sugar levels [3].

The study was funded by the California Raisin Marketing Board through a grant to the L-MARC Research Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

REFERENCES

[1] Wikipedia article on Vitis vinifera http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitis_vinifera
Bell SJ.
Kim Y, Hertzler SR, Byrne HK, Mattern CO.
The Ohio State University, Interdisciplinary Nutrition Program, Columbus, OH 43210, USA

[2] A review of dietary fiber and health: focus on raisins.

[3] www.multivu.com

[4] Raisins are a low to moderate glycemic index food with a correspondingly low insulin index.