Bountiful Berries :: Food and Nutrition :: Whole Foods

> Food and Nutrition > Whole Foods > fruits

Bountiful Berries
by author Jill Hillhouse, RNCP

Despite their diminutive size, berries are giants in terms of the positive impact they have on our health.

An overwhelming body of research has firmly established that the dietary intake of berries is helpful in preventing disease and promoting health. Not only do berries taste wonderful, they are bursting with fibre, vitamins, minerals, and many protective antioxidants and phytochemicals, including lutein, zeaxanthin, flavonols, ellagitannins, and anthocyanidins.

Small but Mighty

These tiny super fruits have demonstrated various healthful properties.

Blueberries, especially wild ones, have a very high oxygen radical absorption capacity (ORAC) score, a measure of their antioxidant capacity. This means they are powerful disease fighters that protect cells from free-radical damage.

Raspberries contain large amounts of ellagic acid, a compound studies have shown is potent for cancer prevention. Raspberries are also an excellent source of fibre, manganese, and vitamin C.

Strawberries are high in vitamin C; the ellagitannin content of strawberries has been associated with decreased rates of cancer death.

Cranberries are a great source of proanthocyanins, compounds that decrease the ability of infection-causing E. coli to stick to cell walls. Recent studies suggest that cranberries may also promote gastrointestinal and oral health and prevent the formation of kidney stones.

And there’s more. Berries also exhibit antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties as well as positive effects related to the reduction of coronary heart disease. They have been found to help protect the brain from oxidative stress, and they may help to decrease the effects of conditions such as age-related macular degeneration as well as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.

Exotic Berries

In recent years many people have turned their attention to exotic berries from other parts of the world, including the goji berry (wolfberry) and the acai.

Goji berries have been a staple in traditional Chinese medicine for millennia and are used to enhance immune function, improve eyesight, protect the liver, and reduce blood glucose levels.

Acai fruit from the Brazilian rainforest is rich in fibre and fatty acids and its deep pigmentation indicates anthocyanins, which fight the free-radical damage that has been linked to diseases such as cancer. Current animal and human studies are under way and positive data is encouraging more research.

Berry Careful

The antioxidant and nutrient content of berries are at their peak when these tiny powerhouses are fully ripened. All berries are very perishable and, while they can stay fresh in the refrigerator for about two days, care should be taken to remove any berries that are moldy or damaged so they won’t contaminate the rest.

Water encourages spoilage, so wash your berries just before you eat them.

Whether your tastes run to the exotic or the domestic, berries provide more than just a handful of great taste.

Jill Hillhouse, RNCP, is a faculty member of the Institute of Holistic Nutrition in Toronto.

Source: alive #309, July 2008

Berries
Sshhh! Don't tell your kids that berries are more than just a tasty snack: they also contain bioflavonoids, a family of water-soluble nutrients found in many fruits and vegetables. This group of pigments is what adds color to the skins, stems and leaves of nature's plants.

Sweet Summer Sensations
Berries are Nature's Surprise-pack of NutritionAmong the delights of June is the advent of fresh berries, wild and cultivated. Canada boasts a huge array.

Sweet and Succulent Berries Make a Summer Meal
Tiny wild strawberries have been hybridized and cultivated, but still grow in wooded areas in some parts of the country. They're the most aromatic and contain essential vitamins.

Smooth Out Your Life
So simple yet so delicious and good for you! Shakes and smoothies can be used as a breakfast substitute, meal replacement or as a refreshing "pick-me-up" any time of day.

Edible Summer Beauty
Who can resist the rainbow array of summer fruits at the market? Rich pink watermelon and raspberries, shiny bright oranges, polished yellow lemons, plump green grapes and sapphire blueberries--in this time of artificially taste-enhanced foods, it .

Beyond the Fruit Bowl
Who can resist the rainbow array of summer fruits at the market? Rich pink watermelon and raspberries, shiny bright oranges, polished yellow lemons

Soothe Inflammation
Inflammation is associated with a wide range of chronic and acute diseases.

The Fountain of Youth
The fountain of youth is at our fingertips. Fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants, little free-radical scavengers that just may be our fountain of youth. Antioxidants exert many positive effects on the body.

Drink to Your Health
Already enjoying the great tastes and healthy benefits of heart-healthy grape and bladder-brilliant cranberry juices? Now some equally colourful cousins are available.

Shopping List for a Healthy Heart

Vitamin E (100 percent natural source mixed toco.

Alkalinity
Your brain and body are extremely sensitive to the slightest change in the pH level of your body's vital fluids. A pH of less than seven is considered acidic, and more than seven is considered alkaline.

The Colour of Cherries
While carrot juice is still a favourite among health-conscious consumers, tart red cherry juice concentrate is gaining popularity as studies of its healing and preventive properties spread.

Ambrosia of the Amazon
AÃ§ai (Euterpe oleracea) was as deep purple as any food I had ever seen. In fact, a spill stained a favourite t-shirt of mine forever. I loved the rich flavour of aÃ§ai and the energy it imparted, and I consumed as much as I could during the course of my time on the river.

Cranberries
Cranberry is an absolute powerhouse of nutrition wrapped in a small red package, and that it contains more antioxidants per gram than any other fruit. They contain natural compounds called proanthocyanidins (PACs) that helps in not only keeping the flu virus from sticking around but also helps prevent (or clear up) urinary tract infections.

Lose the Bulge-Not the Carbs
The majority of research in nutrition clearly demonstrates that carbohydrate-rich foods reduce the risk of most chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

How much do Canadians eat?

Eat small, frequent meals

When to eat the peel

Fill up on Fibre

Tired? Headaches? Hydrate Yourself

Wonders of White

Fear Not the Pomegranate
This tempting jewel of the fruit stand calls to you, its rotund sphere ranging from a bluish pink to a décor-inspiring crimson red. You circle the fruit aisle one last time, wondering if today's the day you'll rupture its tough exterior and take advantage of its superior antioxidant qualities.

The Green Whale of Summer
Is there a more sensuous food on a hot summer's day than a big, ripe watermelon? What would a picnic be without the laughter of children as they spit the seeds from juicy slices?

Easy Living
George Gershwin must have had this season's fruit in mind when he wrote, "Summertime and the livin' is easy. There are few things more satisfying than venturing out on a summer's day to pick raspberries right off the cane, still warm from the sun when they reach your mouth.

Potent Pomegranates
In ancient cultures, pomegranates were symbols of life, regeneration, health, and vitality. In Babylon and Persia, soldiers chewed pomegranate seeds before battle, believing that the exotic fruits would reward them with superior skills and invincibility. The Egyptians placed pomegranates in King Tut's tomb, to help him in his afterlife.

Breakfast Rules!
Current research suggests breakfast, more than any other meal, is an investment in good health. Unfortunately, it's an investment not enough of us are making on a regular basis.

Squeeze some sunshine
Have you ever wondered why an apple turns brown after you cut it in half? But cut any citrus fruit in half and it remains virtually unchanged. The difference is the high level of ascorbic acid and other antioxidants in the citrus; they protect it from oxidation-like natural rustproofing.

Amazing Acai
For thousands of years the people of Brazil have known about the many beneficial secrets of the small purple acai (pronounced ah-saw-ee) berry. This amazing berry grows in the Eastern Amazon region and in Northern Brazil. To the people of South America, acai has been a mainstay for centuries.

Tropical Giants
You don’t have to trek through the Amazon rainforest to sample tropical superfruits. These power-packed giants, now available locally in many different forms, offer high levels of natural enzymes, vitamins, and antioxidant compounds.

Grapefruit’s Bittersweet Reality
The grapefruit is more than just a superfood. But despite all of the known benefits of grapefruit, there are still some looming cautions.