Red berries- Enjoy Their Health Benefits

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Red berries: enjoy their health benefits

Red berries- Enjoy their health benefits. The virtues of these seasonal fruits, rich in antioxidants, are numerous. Even we call them Red Berries , they are most of them in fact purple .Raspberries, blackcurrants, blueberriesm cranberry, acai,.. … the red berries break into the shelves, they are very often referred  “superfood”. They have in common dark red / violet pigments, the anthocyanins, to which the researchers take a close interest.

Pigments full of promises

In general, the more deeply pigmented a fruit or vegetable is, the more nutritional value it has. In particular, deep pigments are a sign of the presence of powerful antioxidants known as anthocyanins Most of these compounds are antioxidants, participating in the prevention of premature cellular aging. Some have anti-inflammatory properties that help protect cardiovascular disease. Cranberry-specific anthocyanins (cranberries) have been shown to prevent urinary tract infections by preventing bacteria from adhering to the mucosa of the bladder. Those present in blackcurrant and bilberry are beneficial to the vision.

Abundant antioxidants

These red berries are champions in antioxidant nutrients.
Blackcurrant and aronia are 3 times more concentrated in vitamin C than orange.
Bilberry and acai provide 4 times more vitamin E (which protects the skin, heart, eyes) than the average fruit.
The goji berry is even richer in beta-carotene (which slows down cellular aging) than the carrot.

Another highlight of the red berries is fiber, which reaches 7g per 100g of blackcurrant or raspberry (25% of the recommended daily intake).

Finally, these fruits are among the least sweet, so the least calories (35 to 50 kcal per 100 g), a strong argument to consume more! How to consume them all year round

Health Benefits of Red  Berries

Red Berries are ulcer-fighters
Studies found that anthocyanins from blackberries reduced stomach ulcer formation in rats. Researchers believe this is because the antioxidants in blackberries prevent oxidation and boost the activity of other important antioxidants, such as glutathione, that are naturally present in the body.

Red Berries  are good for your liver
Black rice, which has more anthocyanins per gram than blueberries, is a delicious antioxidant grain that has been found to reduce damage to the liver incurred by excessive alcohol intake.

Red Berries are good for the heart
Black currants can lower “bad” LDL cholesterol by up to 13 percent while raising “good” HDL cholesterol. Black currants and bilberries have more anthocyanins than blueberries. Note that wild raw berries have higher antioxidant content than fresh raw berries or frozen varieties.

Red Berries prevent urinary tract infections
Camberries not only combat urinary tract infections by preventing Escherichia coli bacteria from sticking to cells in the urinary tract, but they also are a natural probiotic, supporting healthy bacteria that grow in the gastrointestinal tract and aid in digestion.

Red Berries Keep You Mentally Sharp
Eat about two servings of strawberries or one serving of blueberries a week and experience less mental decline over time than peers who go without these nutrition powerhouses.The compounds, found almost exclusively in berries, are known to cross the blood-brain barrier and located in learning and memory centers in the brain.”

Red Berries for Lower Blood Pressure
 The chemical compounds in berries fight the systemic inflammation that may accompany high blood pressure, helping to make your body healthier overall.

Red Berries for Weight Loss

The antioxidants found in Red Berries are also linked to weight control. Some exciting new research from the University of Florida found that people who consume more antioxidants weigh less, even when they don’t eat fewer calories.
Strawberries have been shown to reduce blood sugar and insulin levels after meals. Scientists believe that a key antioxidant in strawberries blocks the activity of an enzyme responsible for breaking starch into simple sugar, which means fewer simple sugars are released into the blood stream, lowering the blood sugar and the corresponding insulin response. This is key for weight control because insulin shuttles excess sugar into fat cells.

Raspberries have been shown to contain a natural substance called ketones, which are similar to capsaicin, the compound that gives hot peppers their fire. Animal studies have found that raspberry ketones prevented an increase in overall body fat and visceral fat, the deep internal belly fat considered to be most dangerous due to its relationship to an increased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.

In one animal study rats that consumed two percent of their diet as blueberries had dramatic results after 90 days—significantly less belly fat, lower blood fats, lower cholesterol, and improved blood sugar and insulin levels. 
Berries are a terrific source of fiber, another key factor in weight control. Research has found that for every gram of fiber we eat, we eliminate seven calories, so consuming the recommended 25 to 35 grams daily could cancel out nearly 300 calories, enough to result in a 30 pound weight loss in one year’s time.

Seasonal Miracle Fruits

To fill up these good nutrients, the ideal is to consume small fresh berries as soon as picked.

To get the optimal health benefits of berries, eat two to three types of fresh, frozen or dehydrated berries each day.
The season is very short:
July-August for blackcurrant, summer for raspberries,
until November for arbutus, rosehips and blueberries,
but it is possible to make reserves with the compotes (1/4 of Berries for 3/4 apples), jams and jellies or, better, frozen or dried.
The fruits will remain all the more savory as they have been chosen fresh, firm, whole and spotless. It is useless to wash them if they come from the garden, otherwise it is possible to rinse them with running water while keeping their peduncle to keep their taste and their texture, then well drain them.

To prevent them from sticking together at the time of freezing, place them on a tray and leave them at least one hour in the freezer before packing them in a bag. To make dried fruits, place them about ten hours at 50 to 60 ° C in the oven or in an electric dehydrator.

Dried or thawed, raspberries, blackberries, currants will scent yogurts, decorate mixed salads, clafoutis or ice cream (mix them still frozen with yoghurt).

Final Thoughts

Richly colored fruits and vegetables provide nature’s most abundant sources of disease-preventive compounds. By regularly consuming these nutritional powerhouses, you can help guard your cells against the daily onslaught of free radicals and fortify your body’s defenses against ailments ranging from cancer and cardiovascular disease to cognitive decline and macular degeneration.

Which Berries do you like most ?