Blackberries are packed with a high value of nutrients, vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber, hence perform various health beneficial functions. They are crunchy and tasty, grown all over the world and you can get them from your nearby store in various varieties.
Whatever form or type the blackberry is, they all have many health benefits. In today’s article, we will share with you 10 impressive health benefits of blackberries.
Full of Vitamin C
Blackberries are full of vitamin C. Vitamin C has a main part in collagen formation for bones. A normal 100 gram serving of Vitamin C has approx. 35 grams of vitamin C in it. Humans cannot synthesize their vitamin C and they have to depend on diet for that matter, and blackberries are one of the things rich in vitamin C.
Vitamin C has roles in protein synthesis, making neurotransmitters and collagen. These processes are vital for wound healing and other bodily functions. It also has antioxidant properties and is involved in the immune system functioning in a normal manner.
Antioxidants
Berries contain high levels of antioxidants, anthocyanins being one of them. They can help fight the body against the adverse effects of free radicals in the body. Free radicals have a role in damaging cells and are thought to be involved in the aging process and other diseases like cancer, heart diseases, and diabetes.
Antioxidants in berries keep free radicals under control preventing their harmful effects on the body. In addition to protecting your cells and aging, berries may also prevent many health conditions.
A study has shown that blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries have the highest content of antioxidants, after pomegranates. Another study found that men who consume even a 10-ounce serving of berries have a reduced risk of DNA damage against free radicals.
Help Manage Diabetes
Berries are sweet, but not the kind that will make a diabetic run to a hospital. They contain fiber, which means they can be included in a diabetic diet as a serving of fruit. For a diabetic, and in general, it is better to eat the fruit in raw form than to have its juice.
The juice is much higher in sugar in a serving and also lacks fiber which minimizes its benefits. Berries may help diabetes by managing high blood sugar levels and also increase insulin sensitivity, and reduce blood sugar and insulin response to high carb diets. Importantly, these effects are noticed in healthy as well as insulin-resistant individuals.
In a study in healthy women, eating 150 grams of berries led to a 24-26 percent reduction in insulin levels compared to consuming other meals alone. In a summary, berries improve blood sugar and insulin response, when consumed with high cab foods and included in smoothies.
Help you meet your daily fiber intake
Fiber is one of the most important nutrients that a body needs, playing a role in everything from good health to lowering inflammation. Berries are a good source of fiber, including soluble forms of fiber.
Studies have proved that consuming soluble fiber slows down the movement and digestion of your food in the digestive tract, leading to an increased feeling of fullness early, reduced hunger, and reduced calorie intake.
What is more, fiber also helps you absorb a smaller number of calories from your other diet. According to a study, doubling the amount of fiber in your diet can help you absorb approx. 130 fewer calories in your diet. Also, the high content of fiber in berries makes them less in other digestive or net carbs.
In a summary, fiber helps you feel full, reduce hunger and overall calorie consumption and berries are the fruit that can help you meet your fiber needs.
Vitamin K and A
Vitamin K is a necessary component for normal blood clotting and proper wound healing, and blackberries are an excellent source of vitamin K. Other functions of vitamin K are good bone health.
But it is essential for those who have any blood-thinning diseases or clotting disorder to consult their doctor and have vitamin K rich diets like blackberries. They also have plenty of vitamin A, a vitamin having several functions, improving the immune system to fight infection and illness being one of them.
It also helps teeth and bones grow healthier and also makes skin healthy. Vitamin A converted to retinol and retinoic acid plays an important role in our sight and visualization.
It is responsible for the normal making of pigments in the eye, and its deficiency may cause night blindness and xerophthalmia. Hence one should not risk having vitamin A deficiency and have it in their diet.
Anti-Inflammatory Effect
Inflammation of your body defends against infection or injury, but nowadays lifestyle has led to excessive, long-term inflammation due to stress, inadequate physical activity, and unhealthy diets. Moreover, inflammation can be pretty annoying and painful also.
This type of chronic and long-term inflammation is termed to contribute to diabetes and heart disease. Hence there should be an anti-inflammatory diet and factors that help lower inflammation to its normal tolerable level and berries are one of them. Studies suggest that antioxidants in berries may help lower inflammatory markers considerably.
Brain Functioning
In a study in 2009, the rats that consumed blackberries improved their motor and cognitive skills as compared to those rats that did not consume blackberries. The authors of the study concluded that it could be due to chemicals in blackberries called polyphenols that help make the brain function sharp.
Also, blackberries contain the mineral, manganese that helps improve brain function and its deficiency has been found to have a role in epilepsy and other brain conditions. In many ways, blackberries help you remain sharp and increase mental power.
Contain Minerals
Blackberries contain many minerals like magnesium and potassium. A normal cup of blackberries has 29 grams of magnesium. And magnesium is a miracle worker and essential for our body’s normal functioning.
Some of the main functions of magnesium include energy creation, protein formation, gene maintenance, muscle movement, and nervous system regulation. Potassium on the other hand is also a great and integral component of our body’s functioning requirements.
A cup of blackberries has at least half the potassium content as that of a banana, a greater alternative of its getting if the later one is not available. It is an important nutrient because it helps balance sodium levels and makes the body function properly.
Without it, blood pressure can rise to very high levels. It also helps the body process carbohydrates, converting glucose in carbs to sugar.
Prevent Parkinson’s Disease
People who eat at least 2 servings of blackberries a week have fewer chances of getting Parkinson’s disease up to 25 percent compared to those who do not have blackberries.
In research, it is shown that men with the highest flavonoid intake – which is abundant in blackberries – reduced their risk of getting Parkinson’s by 40 percent. Besides eating them plain, you can also get berry servings added to other fresh or frozen foods, like yogurt, oatmeal, and salads, etc.
Fight Urinary Tract Infections
Cranberries are the form of berry, that is closely related to urinary tract health, but Cooperman concluded that nutrient-rich blackberries also have such a role. And it is a good idea to eat a variety of foods instead of overeating just cranberries.
And it is recommended that eating of drinking blackberries is helpful in UT health. Blackberries are a tasty and commonly available fruit with an enormous number of health benefits to one’s body. They help lower cholesterol and sugar levels, contain many vitamins and antioxidants, hence lower cancer risks and fight infection and aging.
They also have an anti-inflammatory effect and help you meet your fiber needs on the go. So many benefits are there in this fruit, you should consider adding it to your next diet.
I hope you like the 10 impressive health benefits of blackberries.
DISCLAIMER: This information is provided on this website is for informational and educational purposes only. This is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. Consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise, or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you suspect you might have a health problem.
