Dietician reveals which is better for your health and diet; golden or black raisins: ‘If you have PCOS, asthma…’

Consider checking which raisin you have in your pantry and if it's the healthier version or not. Find out why you may want to replace the wrong one.

Raisins are often recommended as a great value addition to your diet. They are versatile and can be added to your diet in several creative ways, whether as a dessert topping, sprinkled over oatmeal, as a snack or even morning's raisin-soaked water. Most of the time, when it comes to raisins, the golden one comes to mind. But did you know there's a black variant with better health benefits that may tilt the scale in its favour?

So if you regularly add raisins to your diet, it's worth taking a closer look at the two variants and how they compare. You need to choose the right one by weighing the nutritional and health values.

Dietitian Shweta J Panchal, MSc in clinical nutrition, who regularly shares insights about eating a healthy diet, took to Instagram on November 8 and compared the two variants of raisins.

Golden raisin

Golden raisins may have overshadowed black raisins simply because most of you may picture raisins usually with the shiny, tiny, yellow-gold ones. But this golden colour is not natural. It is a product of chemical treatment.

The dietician revealed the major difference between the two variants, “Golden raisin is treated chemically to increase its shelf life and also to retain its colour versus black raisins, it's not chemically treated, it is sun dried and free of any kind of preservatives.”

The chemical treatment, as Shweta added, involves sulphur dioxide to dehydrate the raisin. Raisins may boost your energy, but there's a catch which may require you to be cautious of this yellow variant.

Sharing some eye-opening insight, Shweta added, "Golden raisins are very good source of energy and potassium, but if you have issues related to digestion or asthma, the chemicals can irritate gut lining and can trigger asthma.”

This means sulphur used in the treatment shakes things up for the worse. It disturbs the gut, particularly the gut lining, as the dietician named bloating to be one of the common consequences. Regularly eating raisins may pose risks for liver health, especially for those who already suffer from issues like IBS, hormonal imbalance and acidity.

With the surge of wellness discourse, people are re-examining the everyday foods in their diet. Yellow raisin is in the spotlight this time for all the sceptical reasons, and rightly so. The scrutiny of health-conscious eaters unveils the hidden additives innocuously added to these foods.

Now, that the air is clear and you are aware that yellow raisin comes with their own baggage with some bare minimum health perks, let's unpack what the healthier alternative has to offer.

Black raisin

While yellow raisins may be adding problems to your life, the black raisin, because it is not as strongly chemically treated as its counterpart, comes as a solution for your problems.

Dietitian Shweta revealed the many benefits, spanning across major hormonal and iron deficiency concerns. “Choose black raisin if you have PCOS or if you have severe PMS, or if your haemoglobin is low, then this is the go-to option for you,” she said.

Unlike yellow raisins, black raisins actually support your gut health. The dietician shared that it is helpful for constipation.

Much of black raisin's value comes from its natural roots since it is sun-dried instead of being chemically treated. The benefits extend to several other major functions in the body.

The dietician unpacked its nutrient profile and how each component helps your health:

• Iron and B-complex vitamins: For better haemoglobin and energy.
• Polyphenols and antioxidants: To fight inflammation and free radicals.
• Natural oestrogen-modulating compounds: Support skin, hair, and hormonal balance.
• Prebiotic fibre: Feeds good gut bacteria, improves digestion and stool regularity.

If you are still on the fence about it, Shweta made it clear that black raisin is the real winner. Whatever small energy-related advantage golden raisin offers because of potassium becomes inconsequential when weighed against the massive drawbacks because of the chemical treatment, which may trigger asthma and digestive problems.

Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.

This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.