While hiking recently, I was stopped by a young couple inquiring about the snack I was enjoying. “They’re California Raisins,” I replied excitedly. They both smiled as the woman said, “We love them, too.” They continued hiking as I continued munching and musing about the health benefits and other wonders of California Raisins.

Why raisins? Raisins are the ultimate energy boosting snack. A small one-ounce (28-gram) box contains 90 calories, mostly from carbohydrates, and the ingredient list is delightfully short. They contain one ingredient: raisins. That’s right. California Raisins are simply dried seedless grapes that contain no added sugar. Read on for more nutrition facts.

Did you know that all raisins start out as green grapes? California Raisins that are brown are dried by the sun, while raisins that are golden are mechanically dried. Both types are 100% fruit with no added sugar. And did you know that California is the only producer of raisins in the United States? More than 2,000 family farms in the San Joaquin Valley care for the grape vines that produce raisins. 

Are Raisins A Superfood?

If you buy small snack boxes of raisins, a single one-ounce box is a “serving”, but if you buy larger containers, the folks at the United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA) say that one-quarter cup (40 grams) is the official serving size to list on a Nutrition Facts panel. One official serving of raisins contains 120 calories, 2 grams of fiber, and about 300 milligrams of potassium, a mineral that helps maintain healthy blood pressure levels.

What Happens If I Eat Raisins Every Day?

People often ask me if eating dried fruit is as healthy as eating fresh fruit. As a registered dietitian, I always say that eating any type of fruit is a great choice. An extensive body of evidence shows that people who eat the most fruits and vegetables have the lowest risk of heart disease.

Beyond nutrition and health benefits, raisins and other dried fruits offer many other benefits, including the fact that dried fruits are convenient, available for purchase any time of year, easy to store, easy to carry, shelf-stable, and less likely to become food waste.

If your raisins are drier than you like, you can rehydrate them in warm water for a few minutes. Drain off the soaking water and enjoy them as a snack, or add them to your yogurt, a bowl of cereal, or use them in baking. You can discover other ways to cook with, bake with, eat, and enjoy California Raisins at californiagrown.org.

Recipes with California Raisins to Try Soon!

Best-Ever Walnut, Raisin, and Chickpea Salad Sandwich

This walnut and chickpea salad is a celebration of the textures and flavors that can be found year-round here in the Golden State. It’s tasty enough on its own, but layered between slices of a seedy sandwich bread, crispy lettuce and creamy avocado, it becomes a hearty, irresistible lunch or afternoon snack.

Click here for the recipe

Cinnamon Raisin Butter Tarts

Cinnamon Raisin Butter Tarts are a delicious and indulgent treat that are perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth. These tarts are made with a flaky pastry crust that is filled with a gooey mixture of butter, sugar, and cinnamon, and studded with plump, juicy California raisins. The combination of the rich, buttery filling and the sweet, spicy cinnamon is truly heavenly, and the addition of the raisins adds a lovely texture and flavor to the tarts. Whether you’re a fan of cinnamon or just love a good butter tart, this recipe is sure to become a new favorite.

Click here for the recipe

Pasta Foriana

This simple pasta dinner recipe – a California riff on Pasta Foriana or Spaghetti alla Foriana – is pantry and budget-friendly, a meatless option that isn't missing on flavor, and is truly delicious. It's loaded with flavor from CA GROWN ingredients including walnuts, garlic, raisins, kale, and optional-but-encouraged Fresno chilies, swirled together with California extra virgin olive oil.

Click here for the recipe

Want to get in the groove while snacking on California Raisins? Check out this Spotify playlist from California Grown!

This article was written by Amy Myrdal Miller, MS, RDN, FAND, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Amy Myrdal Miller, MS, RDN, FAND, is an award-winning dietitian, farmer’s daughter, public speaker, author, and president of Farmer’s Daughter® Consulting, Inc., an agriculture, food, and culinary communications firm. Amy’s career highlights include working for Dole Food Company, the California Walnut Commission and California Walnut Board, and The Culinary Institute of America. A farmer’s daughter from North Dakota, today Amy and her husband Scott Miller live in Carmichael, California with “the interns” Violet Grey and Schroeder the Shredder.