Nutritious Berries: Superfoods for Health and Fitness

Author: Disabled World (DW)
Updated/Revised Date: 2022/04/14
Category Topic: Berries for Health (Publications Database)

Page Content: Synopsis Introduction Main Subtopics

Synopsis: Nutritional value of eating berries for health and fitness, including information on berry medicinal uses.

Together with good nutrient content, ORAC derived in the laboratory distinguishes several berries within a new category of functional foods called "super fruits". Most berries are naturally sweet and require little effort to prepare. Just rinse them underwater and serve for a nutritious snack or dessert.

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.

Introduction

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.

Main Document

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.

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Strawberry Desserts in two glasses filled with yogurt, strawberries, blackberries and mixed nuts.
Strawberry Desserts in two glasses filled with yogurt, strawberries, blackberries and mixed nuts.
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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

Latest Publications

- The blueberry fruit is loaded with healthful antioxidants that could help prevent devastating effects of Alzheimer's disease dementia.

- Study supports protective role of bioactive compounds in strawberries in tackling recognized markers and risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.

- Eating high levels of flavonoids including anthocyanins and other compounds found in berries, tea, and chocolate could offer protection from type 2 diabetes.

Complete List of Publications

Subtopics

Citing Information and Page References

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Cite This Page (APA): Disabled World (DW). (Rev. 2022, April 14). Nutritious Berries: Superfoods for Health and Fitness. Disabled World (DW). Retrieved February 7, 2025 from www.disabled-world.com/fitness/nutrition/berries/

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