Effect of Red Raisins

Nora M. Al-Aboud* Effect of Red Raisins

Department of Biology, Umm Al-Qura University, Saudi Arabia

Received: February 02, 2018; Published: February 15, 2018

*Corresponding author: Nora M. Al-aboud, Department of Biology, Umm-Alqura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia

Seven apparently healthy female volunteers (age range, 22 to 24 years) received 20 days of oral dried raisins; 8 gm of dried raisins was given to each in the morning. The iron status of the subjects was assessed at the onset of the study by assaying a venous blood sample for hemoglobin, total iron binding capacity, serum ferritin, serum transferrin, mean corpuscular volume, and serum iron. Similar tests were also performed after the discontinuation of supplementation. The results showed a mild increment in Hb levels of the subjects after taking raisins, and the increment percentage ranged between 2% and 6.2%. The levels of TIBC were decreased for all subjects after taking raisins in relation to pretest levels, and the decrement percentage ranged between 0.2% and 16.7%.

Ferritin levels for all subjects showed a mild increment after 20 days of taking raisins in relation to the levels that had been recorded before the test, and the increment percentage ranged between 5.9% and 55.8%. Transferrin levels were decreased in blood samples of the subjects after 20 days of taking raisins, and the decrement percentage ranged between 2.3% and 17.1%. Serum iron levels in all subjects showed an enormous increment after taking raisins, and the levels recorded were 59.2%, 96.3%, 91.7%, 81%, 94.2%, 55.2%, and 82.8%, respectively. MCV levels showed a mild increment in five subjects after taking raisins, and the increment percentages were 3.2%, 0.8%, 2.7%, 6.4%, and 1.7%, respectively.

In conclusion, we can summarize four principle strategies for correcting iron deficiency, either alone or in combination. These are education combined with dietary modification to improve iron intake and bioavailability, iron fortification of foods, and the new approach of biofortification strategies, including plant breeding and genetic engineering. Finally, the inclusion of raisins in a well-balanced diet can contribute to promoting human health.