Berry Health Benefits
Berries help protect against cancer, heart disease and the effects of aging. The most exciting news about berries is their abundant anti-cancer and anti-aging benefits! Our bodies need antioxidants to protect us from diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Scientists have developed a way to measure the antioxidant capacity of fruits and vegetables, called Oxygen Radical Absorptive Capacity (ORAC).
Scientists have found berries have some of the highest antioxidant levels of any fresh fruits, and kale and spinach are the only vegetables with ORAC values as high as fresh, delicious berries. Fresh berries are some of the most powerful (and delicious) disease-fighting foods available.
In fact, raspberries have an especially high level of antioxidants, according to a recent study published in the journal BioFactors (Vol. 23, pages 197-205). The study found that raspberries have three times more antioxidants than kiwis and 10 times more antioxidants than tomatoes. This is due largely to the presence of ellagitannins, compounds found almost exclusively in raspberries, and reported to have anti-cancer benefits.
What Is ORAC?
The Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, or ORAC value, of foods is a measurement of the Antioxidant levels. The higher the ORAC Value, the more Antioxidants a food has. It's believed that foods high in these coveted vitamins give the body its greatest protection.
Antioxidants are natural substances found in plants, which are known to aid in the prevention of heart disease, cancer and stroke. In addition to boosting your immune system, these valuable compounds are also known to slow the effects of aging by improving things like memory, balance, coordination and motor skills.
Berries, with their high Antioxidant levels, are some of the most delicious and powerful disease-fighting foods available! Blueberries are among fruits and vegetables with the highest Antioxidant levels with an ORAC Value of 5486. Right behind blueberries are blackberries with an ORAC Value of 4654; strawberries at 3520 and raspberries, 2789. Berry ORAC levels top that of many other fruits and vegetables such as oranges, grapefruit, cherries, plums, brussell sprouts, broccoli and spinach.
The ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) test measures the ability of a substance to disarm oxygen free radicals. The test compares a sample to Trolox (a non-commercial water-soluble derivative of tocopherol). Results are reported as µmoles Trolox Equivalents (TE)/g. ORAC has become a standard method for measuring antioxidant capacity in dietary supplements.
Single servings of fresh or freshly cooked fruits and vegetables supply an average of 600-800 ORAC units. Scientists believe that increasing intake of foods that provide 2000-5000 units per day may be needed to increase serum and tissue antioxidant activity sufficiently to improve health outcomes.
What Are Phytochemicals?
Phytochemicals are naturally occurring antioxidants in plants that add flavor, color pigments and scent, and they are abundant in all types of fruits and vegetables, particularly berries.
The pigments that give berries their rich red to blue, black and purple colors are a type of phytochemical that has been shown to have significant disease-fighting, cell-protecting antioxidant capacity.
What's In Berries That Can Help Me?
Vitamin C:
- is vital to the production of collagen, which is involved in the building and health of cartilage, joints, skin, and blood vessels
- helps protect the fat-soluble vitamins A and E as well as fatty acids from oxidation
- aids in neutralizing pollutants
- is needed for antibody production
- has natural antihistamine properties
Fiber helps:
- protect against colon cancer
- lower your risk of heart disease by lowering LDL-cholesterol levels
- regulate your diabetes blood sugar levels
- control your appetite by creating a feeling of fullness
Folic acid (folate) helps:
- protect against colon cancer
- lower your risk of heart disease by lowering LDL-cholesterol levels
- regulate your diabetes blood sugar levels
- control your appetite by creating a feeling of fullness
- reduce the chance of fetal neural tube birth defects such as spina bifida
Phytochemicals help:
- prevent cancer
- prevent heart disease
- prevent diabetes
- prevent high blood pressure
- possibly reverse the effects of aging by improving memory and motor skills