The California Raisin Marketing Board regularly contracts Health and Nutrition Research studies to better understand the contributions raisins can make to a healthy and nutrious diet. You will find listed below some of the key findings our research has produced.

Antioxidants

1. “Cancer Prevention – Antioxidants”
Brunswick Leatherhead
Raisins rank among the top antioxidant foods, according to USDA government tests. Antioxidants may protect cells and their components from oxidative damage – a little like “rust prevention” for the body. Early findings suggest that eating plenty of fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants, such as raisins and spinach, may help slow the processes associated with aging in both body and brain. Antioxidants are important in protecting cholesterol and other fats in the blood from oxidizing. This is critical as oxidized fats in the bloodstream are much more likely to be deposited on the artery wall or to cause a clotting abnormality. Raisins are among the top contenders for easy, accessible antioxidant foods.

Click here to download the complete report

2. “Raisins, Cyclooxygnease – 2 and Cancer Prevention”
Andrew J. Dannenberg, M.D.
Weill Medical College of Cornell University
The antioxidant catechin, found in raisins and some other fruits and vegetables, in the diet of mice genetically predisposed to intestinal tumors reduced the number of tumors by at least 70 percent compared to control animals, according to a study conducted by cancer researcher Dr. Andrew Dannenberg and colleagues at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University.

This type of study adds to the body of evidence which shows that components of fruits and vegetables have the potential to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, colorectal adenomas and other gastrointestinal tumors.

Click here to download the complete report

3. “Antioxidant Capacity and Cholesterol Concentration in Human Subjects”
Carl L. Keen, Ph.D.
University of California - Davis
A significant amount of raisins eaten daily for 4 weeks increased the plasma antioxidant capacity. This in turn decreased the level of circulating oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in subjects. LDL is also known as the “bad cholesterol” and oxidized LDL increases its destructive capability. The importance of decreased LDL is important to cardiovascular health. These data clearly show raisins are an important part of 5-a-day diet and that benefits of eating raisins are similar to benefits seen when eating other fruits and vegetables with these plant antioxidants.

Click here to download the complete report

4. "Value of Raisins for Reduction of Oxidative Stress, Endothelial Dysfunction, and Inflammation in Obesity"
Janet Walberg, Ph.D.
Some research suggests that the higher oxidative stress in overweight individuals trigger an inflammatory response that increases disease risk. Raisins, like many other fruits, are a good source of flavonoids and phelolic acids, compounds with antioxidant effects.

Click here to download the complete report

5. “Raisins As A Functional Food For Oral Health”
Christine D. Wu, M.S., Ph.D.
University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Dentistry
Raisins contain compounds including oleanolic acid that inhibit in vitro growth of Streptococcus.mutans, the bacteria in the mouth responsible for tooth decay. Oleanic acid and other compounds in raisins also inhibit organisms associated with periodontal disease, including Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum. Oleanolic acid is most effective in suppressing in vitro plaque formation by Streptococcus.mutans. Prevention of plaque building up on the tooth surface is critical both for preventing tooth decay and promoting healthy gums.

Click here to download the complete report

6. “Phenolic Content, Antioxidant Activity and Antimicrobial Properties of Raisins In Food Systems”
Luis Cisneros-Zevallos, Ph.D.
Raisin extracts have the potential to reduce the growth of harmful microorganisms and prevent browning of cut produce, according to work done by Luis Cisneros-Zevallos. Raisin extracts were shown to reduce the growth in pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli 0157:H7 in a variety of model food systems. This has great importance to the food industry as it offers a food, not an additive, solution to help with food storage.

Click here to download the complete report

7. "Inhibition of Lipid Oxidation by Milk Mineral in Cooked Meat"
Daren Cornforth, Ph.D. and Deloy Hendricks, Ph.D.
Raisins are recognized as a good source of dietary antioxidants. Adding raisin paste or extract to cooked meats could have the dual advantage of improved flavor, due to inhibition of rancidity during storage and the health benefits of increased consumption of dietary antioxidants provided in raisins.

8. “Evaluation of the Potential Anti-Microbial Properties of Raisins and Their Application in Food Safety and Preservation”
Mark A. Daeschel, Ph.D.
Pathogenic bacteria including Escherichia coli 0157:H7, Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes were inhibited in jerky systems containing 25% or 50% raisins. Raisins may have the capacity to reduce the use of nitrates.

Click here to download the complete report

9. “Raisins Dietary Fiber: Composition and Characteristics”
Mary Ellen Camire, Ph.D.
University of Maine
Dietary fiber and other components may reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer by binding bile acids and causing their elimination from the body. Camire’s study confirms that eating fibrous foods, such as raisins, stimulates the body to replace the bile acids that have been eliminated by making them from its own cholesterol, thus potentially lowering serum cholesterol and the risk of coronary heart disease. Furthermore, bile acids that are bound by fibers such as those in raisins will not be metabolized to a more toxic form and this may potentially reduce cancer risk.

Click here to download the complete report

10. “Inulin”
Medallion Labs
California raisins are a good source of Inulin, a naturally occurring fiber-like carbohydrate that helps keep the colon healthy. According to CRMB sponsored independent laboratory analysis, a standard 1/4-cup serving of California raisins contains 1.5 grams of Inulin. Recommended daily intake levels of Inulin have yet to be established. However, Inulin has many health benefits that are just being discovered including function as a prebiotic, effects on cholesterol levels, immune function and gut health.

11. “Beneficial Effects of Raisins on Colonic Function with Possible Implications for the Prevention of Colon Cancer”
Gene A. Spiller, Ph.D.
Sphera Foundation and Health Research Studies Center - Los Altos, CA
The combination of dietary fiber and tartaric acid in sun-dried raisins plays an important role in colon function and health, according to a study designed to confirm a hypothesis that eating two servings of raisins a day may help lower the risk of colon cancer. Dr. Spiller also found a positive correlation between consuming sun-dried raisins and a change in some colon cancer risk factors including increased colonic acidity and decreased transit time.

Decreased transit time is important not only to have a properly functioning gastrointestinal track, it also means that any toxic materials that might be in the diet or produced by metabolism in the the gut will move through quickly and will not have a chance to act on the colon wall.

12. "Determination of the Glycemic and Insulinemic Indexes of Raisins in Three Populations"
Steve Hertzler, Ph.D.

Click here to download research summary

13. "Raisin Consumption and Exercise Performance of Endurance Athletes"
Mark Kern, Ph.D.
This study was designed to examine the effects of raisins and sports gel on exercise performance under two different situations. Twelve male and twelve female endurance athletes were recruited for each expirement. With regard to metabolic changes, the data suggests that sports gel does raise blood sugar to a greater extent than raisins. The data also reveals that there is a greater reliance on carbohydrates for energy with sports gel consumption. The converse to that is that raisins may have led to a greater sparing of carbohydrates for energy, which could prolong endurance. No gastrointestinal discomfort was reported. Since raisins cost less than sports gels, this is a more cost-effective and convenient food for use during exercise.

Click here to download the complete report

14. "The Effects of an Raisin-Almond Pre-Event Meal on Indices of Energy and Fatigue in Young, Trained Soccer Players (10-12 Years of Age) Playing a Standard Game.”
Gene A. Spiller, Ph.D.
Sphera Foundation and Health Research and Studies Center – Los Altos, CA
Feeding of raisins along with peanuts to 10-12 year old children prior to a soccer game resulted in lower increases in blood glucose and insulin than a snack of a white bagel and jam. This is important because it means a more steady fuel supply to the exercising muscle of the young players. Lower insulin levels are advantageous because high levels of circulating insulin can promote the laying down of fat and may lead to insulin resistance, a concern among US children today, where rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes are increasing.