Walk into any grocery store and you will see many varieties of berries all over the produce section. Berries are one of the most popular breakfast and snack foods in the world. They are healthy and delicious. With so many varieties out there, you have the opportunity to try all the berries and pick your favorites. They are great added to yogurt, cereal, or just by themselves.
There are many reasons why you should consume some kind of berry on a regular or even daily basis. The health benefits that they provide are amazing and they can have a benefit for everyone that eats them. You do want to be careful with berries and make sure that you are not consuming too many at one time, as this can cause your stomach to become upset. It is also best to remember that everything is better in moderation and you should not consume more than is recommended.
You will want to consult with your doctor before trying all of the different varieties of berries to make sure that you are not allergic to any. Even if you are able to eat blueberries, you may not be able to eat strawberries, and if you have never had strawberries, then you would not be aware that you were allergic. Your medical doctor can perform an allergy test on you to see what foods you are allergic to. This will help you get a better understanding of which berries you can and cannot eat.
11 Reasons To Start Eating Berries
While there are many different reasons why berries are one of the healthiest foods you can eat, we are going to focus on the Top 11 reasons and the health benefits that you can expect to see. Let’s dive right in and see what berries have in store for you.
Antioxidants
Most people know that all berries have antioxidants in them that are vital to our overall health, but they may not know just what these antioxidants do to actually benefit our health. The antioxidants in berries help to keep free radicals in our bodies under control. If they are allowed to get out of control they begin to damage the cells. Small amounts of free radicals are good for us, as they help to fight off viruses, but we do not need them in excessive amounts.
The antioxidants in berries have also been shown to lower the risk of diseases and help to protect the cells within our bodies. If you are looking for berries that have large amounts of antioxidants in them, try blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. These berries will yield the largest amount of antioxidants.
Blood Sugar
There have been many research studies on the effects of berries on the insulin that is naturally found in our bodies. In a study done on women, they studied the effects that adding pureed berries with bread had on insulin levels. The study showed that consuming 5 ounces of the pureed berries with the bread reduced the insulin levels up to 26% over just eating the bread by itself.
It is believed that consuming berries on a regular basis can help reduce blood sugar and help to protect cells when blood sugar is too high. In a study of obese, insulin-resistant individuals, research showed that consuming berry smoothies over a 4-6 week period could improve the insulin sensitivities better than if they consumed smoothies that did not contain any type of berries. More research is being conducted on the other effects that consuming berried can have on people with insulin sensitivities.
Fiber
We all know that we need a specific amount of fiber in our daily diets and that most of us are not getting the correct amount. Research has shown that eating berries high in fiber can help slow your digestion and give you the feeling of being full for a longer period of time, which can ultimately help with weight loss. Berries are considered to be a low carb food, which is a great option for people who are on a low carb diet or who need to limit the intake of carbs in their diet.
By adding berries high in fiber to your daily diet you can actually absorb around 130 fewer calories a day than you normally would. Raspberries and blackberries have the highest number of fiber grams among all of the most popular berries on the market with around 8 grams of fiber. Adding these to your breakfast every morning can help you to stop snacking in the middle of the morning and keep you full until lunch.
Nutrients
If you are looking for more nutrients in your diet, adding berries can help with that. Consuming one cup of blackberries can give you nutrients like Vitamin C, Vitamin K, manganese, copper, and folate. If you are looking to add Vitamin C to your diet but you are not a fan of oranges or orange juice, try adding strawberries.
In one cup of strawberries, you can get 150% of your recommended daily allowance of Vitamin C. And Vitamin C is essential during cold and flu season to help keep those viruses away and help you to stay healthy all year long. Berries are also a lower calorie food, with strawberries having only 49 calories per one cup serving. This means you can eat your strawberries and not feel guilty about having too many calories in your daily diet.
Anti-Inflammatory
Research studies have shown that berries can have anti-inflammatory properties. While some inflammation is a sign that your body is trying to fight off a virus, infection, or injury, too much inflammation can be harmful. Chronic inflammation is the type that berries are able to fight against and keep to a minimum or reduce all together.
Berries have been shown to decrease the inflammation that has been linked to heart disease. Consuming some type of berries on a daily basis can help to reduce inflammation in your body. Strawberries are the most recommended berry for this, but you can use any berry of your choosing.
Cholesterol
At some point in our lives, we will all experience an issue with cholesterol, whether it is high or low cholesterol. Many different studies have been done on how berries affect people with high and low cholesterol. Strawberries and black raspberries have been shown to have the most positive effect in lowering cholesterol in obese people or people with metabolic syndrome.
By consuming strawberries for eight weeks, study participants had an 11% drop in their bad cholesterol. Berries have also shown that they are able to keep bad cholesterol from being oxidized. On average, someone eating freeze dried berries for eight weeks could reduce their bad cholesterol levels by up to 28%.
Skin Care
Believe it or not, berries can be good for your skin as well as your overall health. While more research needs to be completed before there can be a definitive answer on all of the benefits that berries have on our skin, one thing is true: the antioxidants in berries are the key to their skin benefits. The theory suggests that the antioxidants in berries, more specifically the ellagic acid in the berries, can help produce collagen in the skin.
Collagen helps to keep skin from sagging and developing wrinkles. The more collagen you have in your body, the younger you will appear. Since more research is needed, there is no way to guarantee that if you choose to consume berries for your skin that you will have a younger looking appearance, but many people have reported experiencing just that.
Cancer
Certain antioxidants in berries, such as ellagic acid, resveratrol, and anthocyanins have been shown to reduce the risk of cancer cells developing. Studies indicate that they are more helpful for cancers that develop in the areas of the mouth, breast, colon, and esophagus, with more research needed for the other areas. In a recent study, 20 patients who had colon cancer were tested.
Over a nine week period, they all consumed at least 2 ounces of freeze dried raspberries a day. After the study was completed, a small majority of the patients saw an improvement in their tumor markers. Strawberries are becoming the subject of a newer research study to test their effectiveness on liver cancer cells.
Dieting
When it comes to dieting, most people will steer clear of eating fruits due to the sugar content. However, berries are actually good for you in all different types of diets. Berries are low carb foods and can be easily incorporated into any type of diet or meal plan that you may be on.
Berries are ideal for breakfast, especially if you are trying to lose weight. They can also make great snacks and additions to dinner or dessert. You can also substitute frozen berries for fresh if the berry you are looking for is not in season. If you are allergic to strawberries, you can choose blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries as a substitute.
People who should be on a low fiber diet should stay away from adding berries into their diet. All berries are rich in fiber and can add at least 4 grams of fiber into your daily diet.
Arteries
Berries can have a profound impact on your arteries and help to keep them in better shape. In research studies, berries have been shown to improve the inflammation that causes the arteries to not function properly. If you are going to be eating berries for the health of your arteries, you should try to eat fresh berries as often as possible.
While the fresh berries are the best when it comes to nutrition and antioxidants, you can still consume processed berries. The nutrient content will be lower, but it will still provide you with the antioxidants that you are looking for. For artery health, you should toss out the freeze dried berries, as they are not considered to be processed and will have almost no nutrients in them. One study found that people who consumed baked berry products showed a better arterial function than those who did not consume any type of berries.
Delicious
One of the main reasons why berries are known to be one of the healthiest foods is due to the taste. While some berries have a slightly tangy taste, the majority of them are sweet. Berries are great to add to recipes, to use as snacks, or to add to breakfast. Adding it to oatmeal or cottage cheese can give something with no flavor a new life and make it easier to eat when you are breaking up the boring with a burst of flavor.
Final Words On The Benefits From Berries
Berries can provide great nutrients and antioxidants to your diet, which will help with your overall health. Berries can be great alone as a snack or combined into a smoothie or even on your dinner plate. Even though berries can provide some great health benefits for you, there is something you need to consider before you take berries, especially if you have never had them before or it has been a few years.
Your medical doctor will be able to perform an allergy test on you to see what types of berries you may be allergic to; strawberries are the most common berry allergies. It is also important to see your doctor if you are on specific diets or you have certain food allergies you already know about. If you are on a certain diet that limits or restricts your fiber intake, you will need to steer clear of all berries. Those not on a low fiber diet should still consult with their doctor before adding berries to their diets.
All in all, berries can be very beneficial to your overall health and to specific areas of your health if they are consumed in the right way. Make sure you are using fresh berries as much as possible, as they will be able to give you the most nutrients and antioxidants. Processed berries are also a good option, but you should steer clear of freeze dried berries if you want to make sure that you are consuming the largest possible amounts of nutrients.
