Are raisins really healthy?

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Forum -> Parenting our children -> Toddlers

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pappymom

Sat, Mar 01 2008, 11:44 pm

I just introduced my 16 month old to raisins. she absolutely loves them, and she's a really picky eater. but they come out whole in her diapers! does that mean she's getting no nutrition from them?

mamacita

Sat, Mar 01 2008, 11:53 pm

Prob not. Maybe if you cook them first they'll be soft enough to chew/gum or at least break down a bit in her digestive system. Beware of letting her eat too many as they work like prunes . . .

grin

Sun, Mar 02 2008, 12:32 am

I thin that's too young for raisins - I would wait until she has enough teeth to chew them well (just like nuts, etc).

pappymom

Sun, Mar 02 2008, 12:47 am

she has eight teeth in the front and four in the back- one molar on for each side, top and bottom. she chews pretty well.

grin

Sun, Mar 02 2008, 12:59 am

well, she's obviously not bothering to chew the raisins! (maybe chop them up for her in a processor?)
why are you giving her raisins of all things, and not fresh fruit? It's extra sweet for its nutritional value.

Raisin

Sun, Mar 02 2008, 3:03 am

Am I being slandered? Exploding anger

It's also what you want your child to get used to. If you'd rather she grows up with a taste for dried fruit then for lollipops, give her raisins and other things like apricots, prunes etc. and of corse fresh fruit.

grin

Sun, Mar 02 2008, 4:21 am

I don't give either raisins or lollipops at 16 months, sorry.

Tamiri

Sun, Mar 02 2008, 4:30 am

Raisins (sorry Raisin) do have that nasty habit of coming out whole. Also, eating a lot of them sometimes caused a red tush in my kids - just about the only thing that ever caused that.
If you want to give something nourishing to your child, give her fresh fruit, not dried. First of all, the dried fruits are processed with chemicals most of the time, and not really sun dried (those are very expensive). Also, you get a concentration of sugar in the dried fruits which is not good for anyone. Third, the raisins are as bad as candy when it comes to being stuck in the teeth - you need to brush the child's teeth after raisins.
If you can give her tangerines, apples, bananas etc, she will benefit more from them nutritionally.

grin

Sun, Mar 02 2008, 4:33 am

Tamiri wrote:

well-said

(for older kids, they're of course very tasty and a nutritious snack, b'mida.)

Mimisinger

Sun, Mar 02 2008, 4:46 am

Btw, my mother knew of a child who had a blockage from too many raisins. The raisins would plump once inside and because she wouldn't chew them, and she "ate" so many, they caused a blockage. Anything your child is not chewing, no matter how many teeth, should not be given.

And, nuts are different than raisins due to the allergen.

mumoo

Sun, Mar 02 2008, 6:21 am

and they are sticky and really hard to clean off teeth (not dentist recommended as the best snack for non-brushers)

Esther23

Sun, Mar 02 2008, 6:50 am

I also just read recently that raisins are really bad for teeth. But on second thought that doesn't really apply to you because she's not chewing them. LOL

Zus

Sun, Mar 02 2008, 6:54 am

Esther23 wrote:

I also just read recently that raisins are really bad for teeth. But on second thought that doesn't really apply to you because she's not chewing them. LOL

Maybe you could cut them up into (even) smaller pieces? That way they might get digested better.

Mommish

Sun, Mar 02 2008, 7:44 am

Esther23 wrote:

I also just read recently that raisins are really bad for teeth. But on second thought that doesn't really apply to you because she's not chewing them. LOL

Actually there is new research that says raisins are healthy for teeth:

"Now, new research shows that, as sweet and sticky as raisins are, they contain compounds that suppress the bacteria responsible for cavities and gum disease. This finding does not necessarily mean that people who eat raisins have healthier mouths. However, raisins do contain five phytochemicals (compounds found in plants) that can be beneficial to teeth and gums. They are the antioxidants oleanolic acid, oleanolic aldehyde, betulin, betulinic acid, and 4-(hydroxymethyl)-2-furfural. Oleanolic acid slows the growth of a bacterium that causes cavities and another that causes periodontal (gum) disease. The research shows that oleanolic acid was also found to stop cavity-causing bacteria from sticking to tooth surfaces, which prevents them from forming plaque."

http://www.tamilstar.com/news/.....shtml

mumoo

Sun, Mar 02 2008, 8:31 am

good to know, because they are such an easy (natural) snack to take with you-not messy, no refrigeration, kids like them! it was just the teeth thing that prevented me from giving them so often

DefyGravity

Sun, Mar 02 2008, 8:33 am

Ha! I posted in this thread to say that I'd read a couple of months ago that raisins are good for teeth and then saw this conversation!

Keep in mind, there are lots of foods that look like they've made it through the digestive system completely whole, but your body still takes the good stuff from it and leaves the rest - like peas, corn, etc.

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