2023-05-02 19:37:31
Raspberries are versatile, tasty and healthy fruits. Find out why you should include raspberries in your snacks.
Eating fruits and vegetables has always been part of a healthy diet. These foods protect once morest certain diseases caused by oxidative stress. Raspberries (Rubus spp.) are an example, as they provide antioxidants.
Apart from being sensory appreciated, raspberries are also considered functional foods or nutraceuticals. They contain bioactive compounds, such as anthocyanins, which provide health benefits.
Characteristics of raspberries
Raspberry of any variety is the fruit of a shrub that belongs to the Rosaceae family. It usually grows in European forests, where it originated. She would have originated in Greece, and would then have reached North America.
The most common varieties are red in color (Rubus idaeus), typical of Europe, and red and black in North America, such as the black raspberry (Western bushes), wild raspberry (A bushy bush) and raspberry purple (Rubus.)
Its shape is round or conical. Its skin is velvety and covered with fine hairs. It is a fruit that is composed of many berries grouped together in miniature, in which each contains a single seed.
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Nutritional components
Below, find out the nutrients for a normal serving (1 cup or 144 grams of raw raspberry) of any variety:
- Energy : 75 calories
- Carbohydrates: 18 grammes
- Fibre : 7,6 grammes
- Potassium : 282 milligrams
- Vitamin C : 30 milligrams
Raspberries can be included in diets for weight loss, as a normal serving provides just 75 calories. The energy of raspberries comes from fructose and glucose, which are absorbed very quickly.
The potassium value is similar to that of lemon juice, mango slices and melon pulp. Potassium helps with muscle contraction and heart rate.
Raspberries have a higher fiber content than other fruits. Consumed in their natural state, their soluble and insoluble fibers help prevent constipation.
As for vitamin C, it is present in moderate quantities, so it is recommended to consume fresh raspberries to make the most of this vitamin. If you want to make raspberry juice, do it quickly so the vitamin C doesn’t oxidize.
Bioactive components in raspberry
Various experts agree that raspberries, blackberries and berries in general contain various types of antioxidant polyphenols, such as phenolic acids, flavonoids and anthocyanins, and others such as resveratrol and ellagic acid. For this reason, red fruits are recommended when it comes to improving health.
100 grams of raspberries contain 223 milligrams of anthocyanins, between 657 and 2611 milligrams of polyphenols, and between 14 and 103 milligrams of vitamin C. These values highlight the antioxidant capacity of raspberries.
The benefits of raspberry
It is obvious that most of the benefits of raspberry are due to the presence of antioxidants which protect the body when consumed. But let’s see what their benefits are in more detail.
1. Raspberries improve certain intestinal problems
A diet low in fiber is associated with intestinal problems, such as constipation and bloating. Fiber deficiencies can increase the risk of heart disease.
Despite their small size, a cup of fresh raspberries can provide up to 8 grams of fiber. Raspberry is the most fiber-rich berry compared to others, such as blackberries, strawberries, and blueberries.
When you consume the required amount of fiberyou lower cholesterol, control blood sugar and promote bowel movements and satiety. Certain types of fiber serve as food for intestinal bacteria.
2. They can fight oxidative stress
Free radicals are molecules that form from biological reactions in the body. They are very reactive, they oxidize and damage what they find around them. This effect leads to degenerative diseases and aging. To live healthier, a balance is needed between the formation of free radicals and the antioxidants capable of neutralizing them.
The darker the raspberry, the greater the variety of anthocyanins and cyanidins with antioxidant capacity. The antioxidant value of raspberry would be 3.5 times higher than vitamin E. Not to mention that vitamin C also has these properties.
300 grams of berries are able to protect DNA once morest free radical damage. Similarly, another study found that eating 1/2 kilo of berry pulp daily for a month reduced a pro-oxidant marker by 38%.
3. They would reduce the risk of heart disease
When the level of LDL or bad cholesterol rises in the blood, the heart is at risk. Phenolic compounds in raspberry and other berries may protect the heart by inhibiting LDL oxidation.
Science has shown that phenols block free radicals, through tests applied to rats. A similar effect was also observed in human cells.
Additionally, it appears that anthocyanins suppress a protein known as MCP-1. This protein induces the formation of lipid plaques in the arterial walls.
4. Raspberries prevent neurodegenerative pathologies
Consuming delicious, juicy raspberries of different colors can boost brain health and help prevent forgetfulness, common with aging. In fact, the antioxidants present in berries, such as raspberries, can prevent communication disorders in brain cells.
In addition, these fruits also help reduce brain inflammation triggered by motor problems typical of aging and cognitive functions. A study in rats found that anthocyanins are beneficial in preventing Alzheimer’s disease.
5. They can improve insulin and blood sugar levels
Diets with a high glycemic response may be associated with an increased risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. However, polyphenols may improve these responses and maintain blood sugar control.
Consuming raspberries and other berries with bread improves insulin response. Tests have also been carried out in obese people with insulin resistance. For 6 weeks, these people consumed a purple berry smoothie twice a day. An improvement in insulin sensitivity was observed.
6. Raspberries are anti-inflammatory
Inflammation is a sign of the body’s defense once morest infection or injury. The berries have anti-inflammatory properties. Chronic inflammation is a precursor to diabetes, obesity and heart disease.
Some researchers claim that polyphenolic compounds, especially anthocyanins, have anti-inflammatory activity in animals and humans. This anti-inflammatory power of berries is effective both for people with normal weight and for those suffering from obesity and overweight, as evidenced by this study.
7. They might be beneficial for the skin
Free radicals tend to cause skin damage that accelerates aging. Raspberries help reduce wrinkles.
Laboratory and animal tests indicate that the ellagic acid found in berries is the main antioxidant for the skin. It acts as a blocker of enzymes that break down collagen.
Do you know what collagen is? It is a protein that structures the skin and allows it to stretch and stay firm. If the collagen is damaged, wrinkles appear.
8. They would protect once morest cancer
Epidemiological evidence suggests that more than 20% of cancer cases are preventable with a diet containing between 400 and 800 grams of various vegetables and fruits per day. Phytochemicals in berries, such as raspberry, may modulate cancer initiation, promotion, and progression.
Some cancer researchers have researched anthocyanins, resveratrol, and ellagic acid. They found that these phytochemicals induced antioxidation, detoxification, cell death, and antiproliferation of malignant cells in laboratory animals.
Despite these data, science still has no concrete results. Some animal trials cannot be safely extrapolated to humans, and others conducted on patients have produced conflicting results.
Possible contraindications of raspberries
Despite the fact that raspberries are delicious, nutritious and beneficial, certain precautions should be taken when consuming them. These are the following:
- Red berries are on the list of allergenic foods.
- They are prohibited in attacks of duodenal and gastric ulcers, gastritis, nasal polyps, nephritis, gout, asthma and polyarthritis.
- They should not be part of the diet of people who tend to form clots or take blood thinners.
- Pregnant women cannot eat more than 3 raspberries per daybecause they can cause an allergy to the baby.
Raspberries should, of course, be included as part of a healthy diet, combined with other vegetables and fruits.
A diet that includes fresh or frozen raspberries will allow you to lead a healthier life, thanks to their antioxidants and anti-inflammatories.
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