Nutritious Berries: Superfoods for Health and Fitness

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The botanical definition of a berry is a fleshy fruit produced from a single flower and containing one ovary. Grapes and bananas are two common examples. The berry is the most common type of fleshy fruit in which the entire ovary wall ripens into an edible pericarp. They may have one or more carpels. The seeds are usually embedded in the fleshy interior of the ovary, but there are some non-fleshy exceptions, such as peppers, that have air rather than pulp around their seeds.

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Many berries, such as the tomato, are edible, but others in the same family, such as the fruits of the deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna) and the fruits of the potato (Solanum tuberosum) are poisonous to humans.

Together with good nutrient content, ORAC derived in the laboratory distinguishes several berries within a new category of functional foods called "super fruits". However, there is no physiological evidence established to date that berry polyphenols have actual antioxidant value within the human body, and it remains invalid to claim that polyphenols have antioxidant health value on product labels in the United States and Europe.

• Some berries such as Capsicum have space rather than pulp around their seeds.
• Most berries are naturally sweet and require little effort to prepare. Just rinse them underwater and serve for a nutritious snack or dessert.
• Berry pigments are usually antioxidants in vitro and thus have oxygen radical absorbency capacity ("ORAC") that is high among plant foods.
• Berry colors are due to natural plant pigments, many of which are polyphenols such as the flavonoids, anthocyanins, and tannins localized mainly in berry skins and seeds.
• One cup of blueberries offers a smaller amount of vitamin C, minerals and phytochemicals for only 83 calories. The same number of cranberries is similar, but with only 44 calories, 1 cup (0.24 liters) of raspberries offers vitamin C and potassium for 64 calories.

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Buffalo berry May Be Next Super Fruit

New research has uncovered an underutilized berry that could be the new super fruit, the buffalo berry.

A new study in the Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), found that buffalo berries contain large amounts of lycopene and a related acidic compound, methyl-lycopenoate, which are important antioxidants and nutrients beneficial for human health.

The bright red fruit has a tart flavor, and has historically been used as a source of nutrients for many Native Americans.

The tree on which the fruit grows is a member of the olive family native to Western North America and is found on many Indian reservations, often where little else grows well.

The findings of the study suggest that buffalo berry might be successfully grown as a new commercial crop on American Indian reservations; one which would be a good source of nutrition as well as providing a viable new product in an area in need of economic development.

Berry Facts and Information

• Eight strawberries contain more vitamin C than a medium-sized orange.
• Blackberries are effective in the treatment of stomach problems, such as nausea.
• Supercharge your diet and maximize berry health benefits by enjoying the entire berry patch.
• Berries are loaded with antioxidant-rich plant compounds called flavonoids that provide potent health protection.
• Most of the strawberries grown in the US are from California (88%). About 70% are sold fresh to consumers, up from several years ago.
• Blackberries and Strawberries contain the highest levels of phytoestrogens, which have a possible role in prevention of breast and cervical cancer.
• Blue, purple, and red colored berries have been associated with a lower risk of certain cancers, urinary tract health, memory function, and healthy aging.
• While wild blueberries often get top spot for their antioxidant content, all berries are antioxidant superstars, and eating a wide variety is probably ideal.
• Berries are typically of a contrasting color to their background (often of green leaves), making them visible and attractive to frugivorous animals and birds.
• Berries which develop from an inferior ovary are sometimes termed epigynous berries or false berries, rather than true berries which develop from a superior ovary.
• A recent study in the journal Circulation suggests that sprinkling just a few more blueberries in your yogurt or blending strawberries into your morning smoothie may help reduce heart attack risk.

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