Raisins and Raisins: Differences
Very often, the terms sultanas and raisins (or raisins) are improperly used as synonyms; however, while sultana is a variety of the species Vitis vinifera (Family Vitaceae), raisins are a TYPE of preserved food (obtained by dehydration in the sun or in the stove) belonging to the group of dehydrated fruit.
Another type of seedless grape that lends itself to drying to obtain raisins is Black Corinth, characterized by seedless and parthenocarp berries (completely seedless), generally small and dark purple in color. Furthermore, due to the strong similarity in the dehydrated form, it is not uncommon for sultanas to be confused with that of Zibibbo; they are both white, but zibibbo is not produced by apyrenia, therefore it retains its seeds (essential for winemaking).
To indicate more precisely the dehydrated form of white sultana berries, it would therefore be necessary to call it "Raisins" or "Raisins Raisins".
Sultana grapes
The sultana grape is a cultivar with rather ancient origins. It is conceivable that it derives from a region of southwestern Asia, from where it would later spread to the eastern Mediterranean. The sultana grape is a vigorous vine, with little fertility of the basal buds , which requires long pruning and lends itself to expanded forms (Y-shaped or awning); it requires cool, deep soils and warm climates.
Other names of sultanas are: Kish Mish (IR), Couforogò (GR), Sultana (ZA, P, AUS), Thompson seedless (USA) and Uva de Pasa (ROU).
The sultanas are suitable for "fresh" consumption, but also for the production of juices, spirits and (obviously) raisins. The grape is small, ellipsoidal, yellow or golden in color and contains a crunchy pulp. In its natural form, it already has a very sweet and not very complex taste, while the skin is thin, with little bloom and easy to chew.
Nutritional Characteristics
Raisins are a preserved food and, more precisely, dehydrated. It does not contain much water and this is detrimental to one of the main functions of fruit, that is the increase of the dietary water intake with food.
Sultana raisins are therefore a real nutritional and caloric concentrate, the latter due to the high quantity of fructose it contains; this characteristic, if on the one hand makes it an extremely energizing food, on the other excludes it from the regimes food useful for weight loss or for the control of blood sugar / insulin.
Nutritional values (per 100 g of edible portion)
The considerable nutritional concentration also affects the other molecules of sultanas, for example: dietary fiber, mineral salts and various phenolic substances.
In particular, the fiber abundantly contained in raisins could be very useful in the fight against constipation even if, to carry out its function, it needs to be rehydrated with water.
As far as mineral salts are concerned, sultana raisins have a very high concentration of potassium (useful in regulating blood pressure); moreover, even the quantities of calcium and iron do not disappoint but, due to their poor bioavailability, they are not completely absorbable.
A final note of merit should be made for the concentration in phenolic substances; these, although not listed in the table below, represent one of the most important components of sultanas. They have a strong antioxidant, antitumor, hypocholesterolemic and positive action on glucose metabolism. However, it is essential to remember that it is an extremely caloric food and that, "antioxidants aside" ... it provides high concentrations of sugars. Excessive portions of raisins could therefore nullify their strong power to regulate glucose metabolism.
We conclude by specifying that, in addition to what has been said so far, the phenolic substances of this food seem to contribute to the moderation of the bacterial load present in the oral cavity, consequently hindering the formation of caries. On the other hand, we remind you once again that it is a product with a very high carbohydrate content, which itself represents a risk factor for dental degeneration.
Another "potentially antioxidant" factor contained in "sultanas" is represented by the complex of melanoidins, or the molecules responsible for food browning after dehydration.
NB. A chemical and compositional analysis revealed that raisins, compared to fresh grapes, also have a lower content of pesticides; this reduction is attributable both to washing, to the action of heat and to that of codistillation.
Raisin Bread (Without Eggs)
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