10 Reasons why Berries are the Most High-Health Foods on the Planet
You perhaps have heard about this. Berries are among the finest foods you can eat. They are thought to be the most sought after health foods on this planet. But what makes them so much a ‘superb’ healthy food on earth?
They’re nutritious, delicious, and provide a number of impressive health benefits. Find out the 10 valid reasons to incorporate berries in your diet:
- Loaded with antioxidants
Berries comprise antioxidants, which can keep free radicals under control.
Free radicals are volatile molecules that are beneficial in small amounts but can damage your cells when their numbers get too high, thus causing oxidative stress.
Berries are a vast source of antioxidants, such as anthocyanins, resveratrol ellagic acid. In addition to guarding your cells, these plant compounds may subdue disease risk.
One study revealed about how blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries have the highest antioxidant activity of commonly consumed fruits, next to pomegranates.
In fact, several studies have proved that the antioxidants in berries may help reduce oxidative stress.
- May help improve blood sugar and insulin response
Berries may increase your blood sugar and insulin levels.
Test-tube and human studies hint that they may defend your cells from high blood sugar levels, help increase insulin sensitivity, and demote insulin and blood sugar response to high-carb meals.
Importantly, these effects seem to occur in both healthy people and those with insulin protection.
In a six-week study, obese people having insulin resistance and who drank a blueberry smoothie twice per day underwent greater improvements in insulin sensitivity than those who drank berry-free smoothies.
- High in fiber
Berries are a healthy source of fiber, not excluding soluble fiber. Research shows that devouring soluble fiber reduces the passage of food within your digestive tract, driving to reduced hunger and elevated feelings of fullness.
This may reduce your calorie intake and make weight management simpler.
What’s more, fiber helps to lessen the number of calories you assimilate from mixed meals. One study found that multiplying your fiber intake could make you receive up to 130 fewer calories per day.
Additionally, the high fiber content of berries also means that they’re low in net or edible carbs, which are determined by subtracting fiber from whole carbs.
Given below are the carb and fiber counts for 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of berries:
Raspberries: 11.9 grams of carbs where 6.5 grams is fiber
Blackberries: 10.2 g of carbs, 5.3 g is fiber
Strawberries: 7.7 g of carbs, 2.0 g of fiber
Blueberries: 14.5 g of carbs, 2.4 g of which are fiber
Note that a standard serving size for berries is 1 cup, which changes to 4.4–5.3 ounces (125–150 grams) nearly depending on the type.
Owing to their low net carb content, berries are a low-carb-friendly food as well.
- Provide various nutrients
Berries are extremely nutritious and are low in calories too. In addition to being huge in antioxidants, they also carry several minerals and vitamins.
Berries, particularly strawberries, are leading in vitamin C content. In particular, 1 cup (150 grams) of strawberries renders a huge 150% of the RDI for vitamin C.
Except for vitamin C, all berries are moderately alike with regard to their vitamin and mineral content.
Here is the nutrition content of a 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of blackberries:
Calories – 43
Vitamin C – 35% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI)
Vitamin K1 – 25% of the RDI
Manganese – 32% of the RDI
Copper – 8% of the RDI
Folate – 6% of the RDI
For 3.5 ounces, i.e. 100 grams of berries, the calorie count varies from 32 for strawberries to 57 for blueberries, which makes berries some of the lowest-calorie fruits around.
- Help fight inflammation
Berries have excellent anti-inflammatory properties.
Inflammation is your body’s protection against injury or infection.
However, present-day lifestyles often lead to long-term and excessive inflammation because of prolonged stress, poor physical activity, and harmful food choices.
This sort of chronic inflammation is thought to contribute to diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.
Studies infer that the antioxidants in berries may help lower inflammatory markers.
In one study about overweight people, those drinking a strawberry beverage with a high-carb, high-fat meal saw a more significant decrease in specific inflammatory markers than the control group.
- Keep your Arteries healthy
Apart from lowering cholesterol, berries provide other health benefits like enhancing the function of your arteries.
The cells that mark your blood vessels are called endothelial cells. Too much inflammation can damage these cells, hindering proper function. This is pointed to as endothelial dysfunction, an important risk factor for heart disease.
One study found that arterial function developed in people who ate baked or freeze-dried berries.
The only people who need to evade berries are those who demand a low-fiber diet for some digestive disorders, and individuals who are allergic to berries.
- Lower cholesterol levels
Berries are a wholesome, heart-healthy food. Black raspberries and strawberries were proven to lower cholesterol in people who are obese or have metabolic characteristics.
In an 8-week study, adults with metabolic symptoms who devoured a beverage made from freeze-dried strawberries daily encountered an 11% drop in LDL (bad) cholesterol.
What’s more, berries may stop LDL cholesterol from becoming oxidized or damaged, which is believed to be a primary risk factor for heart disease.
In a controlled study in obese people, those eating 1.5 ounces (50 grams) of freeze-dried blueberries for 8 weeks noticed a 28% reduction in their oxidized LDL levels.
- Good for your Skin
Berries may reduce skin wrinkling, as their antioxidants help handle free radicals, one of the first causes of skin damage that adds to the aging factor.
Though research exists inadequate, ellagic acid seems to be responsible for some of the berries’ skin-related benefits.
In one study, applying ellagic acid to the skin of hairless mice bared to ultraviolet light for eight weeks lowered inflammation and served to protect collagen from damage.
- Offers protection from Cancer
Several antioxidants in berries like anthocyanins, resveratrol as well as ellagic acid may help in the reduction of cancer risk.
Clearly, animal and human studies suggest that berries help defend cancer of the throat, mouth, colon, and breast.
A test-tube study determined that all types of strawberries had strong, protective effects on liver cancer cells.
- A must-have in any Diet plan
Berries can be incorporated in many kinds of diets. Generous amounts of berries can be incorporated into Mediterranean, paleo, vegetarian, and vegan diets.
For those who want to shed calories, the fewer calories in berries make them excellent to include in meals, snacks, or desserts.
Author Bio:
Emylee is a wellness lifestyle writer. She loves sharing her thoughts and personal experiences related to natural remedies, yoga, and fitness through her writing. She currently writes for How To Cure. She can connect with others experiencing health concerns and help them through their recovery journeys through natural remedies.
