Berries: Your Store-house Of Nutrition

By Niharika Choudhary

Thursday, March 3, 2016, 19:22 [IST]

There's a saying that 'all good things come in small packages', this is definitely true in the case of berries. These tiny, juicy, colourful balls are one of the richest sources of nutrients.

They are excellent sources of antioxidants and dietary fibres.

Just consuming a small portion every day can help you to maintain your bone health, sharpen your brain, reduce the risk of cancer, help you maintain a healthy heart, reduce your blood sugar level and aid in fighting against many other chronic health conditions.

When it comes to berries, we have a wide range to choose from such as blueberries, raspberries, mulberries, blackberries, strawberries and what not.

These extraordinarily cute-looking berries also come in many brilliant colours like red, pink, purple, violet, blue, black, etc.

The best part about these berries is the suspense in their taste. You never fully know whether an almost ripe-looking berry will taste sweet or sour until you pop one into your mouth.

Each of these berries have a different bag of nutritional value associated with different kinds of health benefits.

In the following article, we have shared the major health benefits of some of the berries. So that you make sure to include them in your meals every day.

Strawberries

Did you know there are over 600 varieties of strawberries to choose from?

It means you'll never run out of options.

Strawberries are rich sources of antioxidant phytonutrients known as phenols that keep us protected from a wide range of diseases.

Strawberries also have a high content of dietary fibres, potassium, manganese, copper, folate, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins C, K and B.

Strawberries protect the brain and are also known to reduce macular degeneration of the eyes.

Blueberries

Blueberries are a powerhouse of antioxidants.

The phytonutrients called anthocyanidins, found in the blueberries, fight against the free radicals in our body.

They also give these berries their unique deep blue colour.

By keeping these free radicals at bay, these blueberries help in maintaining the health of the collagen matrix of our tissues and cells, thus helping us to stay healthy over time.

Blackberries

Blackberries are not just the store-houses of powerful antioxidants, but they also have an extremely high content of vitamins C, E, and ellagic acid.

All of them help in fighting some of the major chronic diseases and are also effective in protecting from the risk of cancer.

Blackberries also have a high content of pectin that is known to lower the cholesterol and also stop tumour formation in the oral cavity.

Cranberries

Cranberries are excellent sources of proanthocyanidins (PACs) known to prevent UTIs (urinary tract infections).

They are extremely low in calories and have been effective in boosting the cardiovascular health of our body as well as protecting us from tooth cavities.

Raspberries

Raspberries help in improving memory.

The antioxidants vitamin C, quercetin and gallic acid found in raspberries help in fighting cancer, heart and circulatory diseases.

Raspberries also help to fight inflammatory conditions like gout and arthritis.

They are also known to show a good result in slowing down the ageing process.

Mulberries

Mulberries have huge reserves of iron, carbohydrates, vitamin C and K, riboflavin, etc.

They help in improving your bone health, heart health and vision.

The antioxidants found in mulberry repair free radicals. Mulberries are also known to behave as a blood tonic, as they help in cleaning the blood, thereby preventing clotting and improving blood circulation.

Bilberries

Bilberries look and taste similar to blueberries but are smaller in size.

These tiny berries are extremely high in antioxidant anthocyanidins.

Anthocyanidins are good for diabetic patients.

Bilberries also work wonders in maintaining eye health, boosting good vision, increasing night vision and reducing the risks of cataracts and macular degeneration.

Bilberries are also known by other names like huckleberry, wineberry, dyeberry, etc.

Acai Berries

The acai berries have been traditionally used as a powerful healing and energy-boosting fruit in the Amazon rain forests.

Acai berries are packed with anthocyanins, known to boost heart health and lower the cholesterol level.

Regular consumption of these berries has also shown to slow down the process of ageing.

Goji Berries

They are cultivated mostly in Tibet and Nepal.

Goji berries have shown good results in fighting an improper health condition.

Goji berries are also known as Chinese wolfberry or mede berry.

These berries are deep red in colour and have an unbelievable content of 18 essential amino acids,vitamins B1, B2, B6 and E along with 21 trace minerals.

They help in boosting sexual vitality, longevity and the overall physical strength.