South Africa highlights raisin health benefits

UK consumers are being encouraged to improve their health by including more raisins in their diets as part of a South African industry campaign.

Trade body Raisins SA is looking to spread the word about health and other benefits, as well as correcting misconceptions around raisins and dental health.

”Raisins are a natural health powerhouse and are packed full of nutrients including fibre, iron, calcium and antioxidants,” said Raisins SA.

“The fact that most of the water is extracted from dried fruits means their nutrients are concentrated, and a further benefit comes from the fact that just a 30g portion counts as one of your 5 A Day, compared to 80g of fresh fruit.”

It comes as health studies recommend switching from confectionery and biscuits to consuming more dried and fresh fruit, with raisins offering plentiful ways to be incorporated in diets.

”The public perception that raisins should only be eaten at mealtimes has been cast into doubt with recent research showing dried fruit are not more detrimental to dental health than fresh fruits and vegetables,” Raisins SA noted.

”Further studies highlight the fact that raisin consumers’ sugar intake is actually lower as the dried fruit replaces other sugary snacks and added sugars in their diets.”

Raisins SA’s UK campaign both promotes the benefits of South African product as well as the health credentials of raisins generally.

It highlights how raisins fit into the current trend for plant-based diets as an alternative to meat, as well as underlining producers’ sustainability efforts on the farm.

The promotional push includes organic content and advertising on social media channels, aiming to inspire consumers to incorporate South African raisins in their diets through beautiful imagery and delicious recipes.

The initiative comes at a time of increasing raisin production in South Africa. The 2022 crop is estimated at 67,000 tonnes, up from 59,000 tonnes when the campaign kicked off.

“We hope to inspire UK consumers to see raisins as a delicious, healthy product that is easy to incorporate into their diets,” said Ferdie Botha, chief executive of Raisins SA.

”Over the years there has been a lot of misunderstanding around the raisins and their sugar content, but we want to reassure consumers of the wide-ranging and positive health benefits of eating these delicious products,” he added.