Oh how I love berry season! These delicious nuggets of sweetness are little packets of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Berries help you feel full, lose weight and prevent disease. What make berries so amazing is their high levels of phytochemicals - those naturally occurring nutrients that help protect our cells from damage.
The bright colored skin of the berries is there to attract birds and other animals so they will distribute the seeds. While this skin in thin enough to be eaten it also makes the berries less vulnerable to pests and diseases. As it turns out it is the skin that supplies us with many of the special nutrients that make berries so good for us.
There is a chemical in the skin called anthocyanins, a natural source of antioxidants, which give berries their bright color. While anthocyanins are found in many colorful fruits and vegetables they are especially high in berries.
Studies show that the anthocyanins and phytochemicals in berries offer a wide range of therapeutic benefits such as:
High In antioxidants which protect against free radical damage. They counter the natural oxidation in the body that contributes to aging of the tissues and many degenerative illnesses such as cancer, dementia, and damage to the arteries.
Keep your brain sharp - A study in the Annals of Neurology show women who eat about 2 servings of berries per week experienced less mental decline overtime than women who didn't eat these little powerhouses. One study of blueberries in the diet even showed improved memory in middle age rats.
Low Glycemic - Managing your blood sugar is one of the most important principles for good health. Berries are sweet but are considered a tart fruit with low sugar. Many fruits will spike your blood sugar but berries will not. According to a 2011 study published in Nutrition and Metabolism, the anthocyanins in berries interfere with insulin signaling. Insulin plays a major role in the regulation of blood sugar and in the deposit of fat. Researchers have found that the anthocyanins in berries block the expression of genes that encourage weight gain from high blood sugar.
Beneficial for your heart and cardiovascular system - Berries, like strawberries and blueberries, contain a myriad of antioxidants that combat free radicals to maintain healthy blood vessels, blood pressure, cholesterol and heart tissue. These benefits may delay or prevent the development of cardiovascular disease, a heart attack or stroke.
Safe guard against inflammation -The chemical compounds in berries fight the systemic inflammation that may accompany high blood pressure, helping to make your body healthier overall. According to James Joseph, PhD, director of the Neuroscience Lab at the United States Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston says "they turn off the inflammation signals triggered by cytokines and COX-2s".
Great for weight control - Berries are high in fiber and water which give you a full satisfied feeling so you eat less. They also appease your desire for something sweet!
Help to fight cancer - Research published in the Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis suggests that flavonoids and other compounds found in berries may help reduce colon cancer risk.
Reduce your risk of Alzheimers - Data reported at a recent meeting of the American Chemical Society suggests that berries contain chemical compounds called polyphenolics, which could help prevent Alzheimer's disease by cleaning up the damaging build-up of toxins over time.
Help with Constipation - The high fiber and water content of berries is known to help improve our bowel function. Strawberries in particular contain more vitamin C than oranges. They are also one of the best cures for constipation. The seeds (around 200 in every berry) sweep through the gut undigested, helping to clean the gut wall and promote colon health.
In fact, it's hard to think of a body part that isn't positively affected by berries.
