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Bummer. I was hoping there was a reply! :) I just bought some seeded grapes and intend to dehydrate them myself. Good luck in the search!
I think I might try to do that too emilyjayne. I can get grapes with seeds and I have a dehydrator, but I had hoped that someone might know of an online store that sells the seeded raisins because I heard that it takes an inordinately long time to dehydrate grapes.
Sooooooooooooooooooo if anyone out there has some input regarding the possibility of purchasing raisins with seeds please feel free to let us know!
Thanks!
If nothing works then I guess I'll just stick to figs - dried or fresh .... at least they are not a hybrid fruit... and they always have nice little seeds in them :)
But I'll hold out hope for a little while that someone here responds to the initial question posed.
This may be a dumb question, but is it ok to eat the seeds in raisins?
Grape seeds are VERY healthy to eat.
The proanthocyanidins they contain have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer (especially anti-oral-cancer) properties.
Do a google search for grape seeds and you will discover a wealth of information on them.
It particularly helps if you chew the seeds... but if you forget to then at least you have the benefit of added fiber.
I buy red or black seeded grapes at the local farmers market, wash and freeze them, then use them in smoothies. My VitaMix pulvarizes the seed. I've never noticed raisins with seeds. Maybe the seeds are removed because they would be too difficult to "chew"? The seeds in the grapes I buy aren't small enough for me to masticate.
But there Used To Be seeded raisins. It was before most of us were born. They were REAL raisins. Nowadays most people (most through no fault of there own, but who still don't know better) prefer fruit that doesn't have seeds.... like seedless watermelon and seedless grapes (hybrid fruit). These foods have less life energy and are less nutritious.
Grapes/Raisins with seeds provide the benefits I referred to above as well as other nutrients/health properties that I didn't get into...
Thanks for the tip emtpdmom. I do use seeded grapes in smoothies, but I was really hoping Someone out there had news about where to get seeded raisins.
Oh well...
Thank you everyone for your input.
I especially like all of the links & suggestions.
I think I will try the Monukka raisins that Pixx wrote about. I am also going to try to dehydrate some organic seeded grapes (as soon as I can find them). The suggestions of cutting them in half or poking tiny holes in them sounds promising. Maybe then it won't take an eternity in my dehydrator!
Thanks again to all! :)
Hi there, greenghost. These raisins seem to be made from grapes that had seeds, but they remove them before drying.
I have not tried them, but the page has a toll free phone number if you have questions :~)
http://sunbeamfoods.com.au/products/dried-fruits/raisins
it takes SOOOOOO long to dehydrate grapes. i think mine were in the dehydrator for 3 days (i turned it off a few times because i wanted to forget about it but plugged it back in). even after 3 days, they still weren't done so i just threw them out. i think i did them on 100 or 110. i can't remember. i used to be to raisin obsessed but ate too many of them at once so i had to stop buying those suckers.
thanks rawganic. I checked out the link and I book-marked it. It sounds like they use a nice variety of grapes to make their raisins.
I wish that producers would leave the seeds in though. That is where a good majority of the nutrients are. And I don't mind a bit of crunchiness.
It reminds me of polished white rice -- why in the world people are compelled to strip a food down until it is devoid of anything beneficial to the human body is beyond me.
yeah joannabanana - I thought it would take forever to dehydrate grapes into raisins. I think you might have mentioned it in a previous post - maybe that is where I read it. That is another reason why I thought it would be nice if seeded raisins could be found online somewhere.
thanks for your thoughts!
I checked out the link and it says the seeds are removed. But I'm sure it's not dehydrated on a low temp...?
I have heard that seeded fruits (non hybrids) are the best for you too and have gotten into heirloom gardening for just this reason.
I run my dehydrator every day so 3 days seems like nothing to me. Maybe cut the grapes in half? I've never made them. I'm gonna try it and let you know!
Grape seeds are VERY healthy to eat.
The proanthocyanidins they contain have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer (especially anti-oral-cancer) properties.
No denying the potential (keyword, potential) benefit of grapeseed extract.
But you would hardly be able to digest any of the compounds in the grape seeds. They are made out of indigestible fiber and enzyme-inhibitors that will resist digestion.
Here's a source in the US for (golden?) seeded raisins: http://www.livingtreecommunity.com/store2/product.asp?id=153&catid=18
I'm sure if you chew the seeds you'll be getting at least some of their magic. And I bet cutting grapes in half would help them dehydrate faster, though I haven't done this myself.
YAY!!!!!!!! Thank you ambiguous!!!! :)
I really appreciate the link. It looks like they also have some nice figs. COOL!
rawskeptic - you may be right, but I have my own reasons for still wanting to try them.
grape seeds contain healthy fats and the non-hybrid variety are much more nutritious than the now-standard seedless type.
Furthermore I believe I will obtain some anti-oxidant benefits from eating them regardless of the enzyme inhibitors.
so thanks for your input, but I am not dissuaded.
Thanks again ambiguous!!!!!!!!!
Furthermore I believe I will obtain some anti-oxidant benefits from eating them regardless of the enzyme inhibitors.
so thanks for your input, but I am not dissuaded.
By all means try it out to see what happens, but I seriously would not expect any benefits (sorry! Not trying to be a Debbie-downer). Maybe if we soaked/sprouted grape seeds like what we do with raw almonds, they would become digestible enough to access the nutrition inside.
Ooooh, if all monukka raisins have seeds, this site has great prices on them:
http://www.sunorganicfarm.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=DRI
Happy shopping , greenghost!
You're welcome! Hope you enjoy!
:~)
Yes!! I have some Monukka raisins in my cabinet right now! And, boy, are they tasty!! The seeds are actually hardly noticeable.
Here:
http://www.naturalzing.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21_28&products_id=241
Let me also say that I shop with this company (Natural Zing), and they are fantastic to deal with. I've always gotten my order really quickly - this last time I received it within 36 hours of placing the order online. How awesome is that?
I have never ordered from Living Tree, but I did call them once, to ask a question. I got voice-mail, & it took them something like three or four days to return the call, and no, it wasn't a weekend. Anybody actually have good experience with them, I'd love to hear it.
Another vote for cutting grapes in half first - same principle as tomatoes, their skins are intended to keep moisture in. Grapes and tomatoes are crops that yield the strongest flavor with little irrigation so they conserve water.
Or maybe even pierce with a fork a few times?
"if all monukka raisins have seeds..."
Hmmm... I'm not sure! :-/
Edit: I have been searching to find an answer to this. And the answer is nope. These I found are advertised as seedless Monukkas:
http://www.bellaviva.com/new/driedfruitsnuts/rasins/monukka12161.htm
I also learned an interesting tidbit: Golden raisins are sulfured (to keep the color) and dried by artificial heat. Dark type raisins are sun dried, for several weeks. (some dark are sulfured, some are not.) Cool to know.
additional edit: After posting that above, I just now noticed that the link to the seedless monukkas are listed as "Dehydrator dried". So, apparently not all dark raisins are sun dried, even though I found that information on several sites (who can ya trust???). I'd bet they aren't dried under 118, either. Hmmm, time to contact trader joe's to find out if their organic thompsons are sun dried, or heated! & I guess I should ask Natural Zing about the monukkas, too. ;)
Here's another company that sells seeded Hunza raisins: rawvegansource.com
It's a great company run by wonderful people! :)
Here is another great source
http://vivapura.net/affiliates/jrox.php?uid=mandisa
if anyone tries the cut in half and dehydrate method, let us know! i've always wanted to try some seeded raisins.
BuywholefoodsOnline.com.uk Organic Muscat Raisins from Uzbekistan.