A Review of the Health Benefits of Raisins

摘要

There have been relatively few studies conducted on the health benefits of dried fruits; however, over the past few years there have been many advances regarding the health benefits of raisins. Williamson and Carughi (2012) recently reviewed the polyphe-nol content and health benefits of raisins. The review showed that raisins contain significant amounts of the flavonols quercetin and kaempferol and the phenolic acids caftaric and coutaric. Both quercetin and kaempferol are found in raisins as glycosides. Although the bioavailability of these compounds has not been studied in raisins, they have been shown to be well absorbed from other foods. These compounds may be responsible for some of the health benefits that have been reported with raisin consumption (Williamson and Carughi 2012). During the dehydration of grapes to raisins there is a significant loss of specific phenolic acids and polyphenols. However, total antioxidant capacity and total polyphenol contents remain relatively unchanged. Moreover, when equivalent amounts of grapes are fed either as fresh grapes, raisins, or wine (non-alcoholic) similar amounts of certain phenolic acid metabolites are detected in the urine. Thus, phenolic acids appear to be more bioavailable in raisins than in grapes and white wine (Murphy 2012).