Why 9 Gin-Soaked Raisins for Arthritis?

Q. I‘ve been taking gin-soaked raisins for over two months. I don’t know whether or not they are helping my knee joints, but I don’t care. They are delicious.

There’s only one thing: I don’t have a clue why one should take only 9, not 8 or 10. Is that instruction a joke?

I’ve been taking a spoonful at bedtime and will continue so. Am I doing something wrong?

A. We often receive questions about the details of the “gin-raisin remedy” for arthritis. Like you, many want to know why nine raisins are specified. Others worry about the alcohol content or whether the gin-soaked raisins should be refrigerated.

We offer practical answers to such frequently asked questions in our Guide to Alternatives for Arthritis.

While nine raisins may be somewhat arbitrary, a teaspoon generally contains between 8 and 10 raisins. We think you should be fine with a spoonful.

Then again, 9 is a magical number, so who knows. You could always experiment to see whether you can detect a difference between 8, 9 or 10 raisins. By the way, we had 9 raisins tested for alcohol and discovered that there was about 1 drop of alcohol left after you let the gin evaporate.

Gin & Raisin Story from Visitor

Jim offered this:

“Just wanted to tell you that about two months ago I sent away for your guide on Alternatives for Arthritis. I wanted to wait till I was sure it was the golden raisins and gin that stopped the pain in my left knee.

“I had the cartilage removed around 1980. Since then, the knee has been very painful with all the arthritis that’s set in. For years I had all I could do to stand up if I was on my hands and knees. Needed something to grab onto to help lift myself up to my feet. When ever there was a severe weather change it was very difficult to get around.

“The last several weeks I’ve been without any pain. My knee hasn’t been without pain for quite a few years. Sending for your guide was one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. Thank you for the information you provided.”  Jim