When it comes to foods that both taste great and are great for your heart, it’s hard to beat the berry. Berries of all kinds are rich in antioxidants substances found in certain foods that help fight cell damage. Berries count among the most delicious and most versatile sources of these phytonutrients. The various types of berries have slightly different qualities and amounts of these nutrients, so it’s great to mix them up in your diet. Just remember to eat berries in moderation because they do contain sugar.
Eat a handful of berries and you’ll be rewarded with a burst of sweetness in your mouth. They’re as good for breakfast as they are for dessert. Just as good, though, is research showing that berries deliver a bevy of benefits, including bettering cognitive health, helping prevent cancer, and lowering blood pressure.
Vibrant, brightly colored fruits and vegetables provide some of the highest levels of nutrients, especially antioxidants and Berries are some of the most vibrantly colored fruits you’ll find. These antioxidants have anti-inflammatory properties, which may help protect your body from disease as you age. Berries should be considered a healthy part of an anti-inflammatory lifestyle for both prevention and chronic disease management.
Sharp Mental Health
In the study, researchers reviewed data from 16,010 women over age 70. Those with the highest berry intake postponed cognitive decline by about two and a half years. They think that the effect might be related to a class of compounds called anthocyanidins, which is a type of flavonoid and these compounds, found almost exclusively in berries, are known to cross the blood-brain barrier and locate in learning and memory centers in the brain.
Prevent Diabetes
Berries are sweet but not the kind of sweet that should send people with diabetes running because they come with fiber, people with diabetes can include that in their diet as a serving of fruit. When it comes to berries, raspberries are one of the best options because they are packed with fiber as it contain 15 grams of carbohydrates and 8 g of fiber per cup.
When it comes to diabetes prevention, berries will fit in your healthy diet, too. In fact, a study published in April 2017 in PLOS Medicine found that, of about 500,000 Chinese adults, those who consumed fresh fruit daily were 12 percent less likely to develop diabetes compared with those who avoided it. Fruits that are lower on the glycemic index, which includes berries, might be the best options for blood sugar regulation, the researchers point out. In general, when enjoyed whole, these foods carry a low glycemic load, meaning they are unlikely to cause sharp swings in blood sugar levels.
Prevent Parkinson’s Disease
People who eat at least two servings of berries a week have a 23 percent less chance of developing Parkinson’s disease than their peers, according to research published in Neurology. The same study showed that men with the highest intake of flavonoids, which are abundant in berries, reduced their risk by 40 percent. Besides eating them plain, you can also get your berry servings by adding them fresh or frozen to other high-nutrition foods such as yogurt and salads.
Reduce Inflammation and Prevent Heart Disease
Berries are high in flavonoids, antioxidant plant compounds that are associated with lower odds of developing heart disease, making them one of the American Heart Association’s superfoods. Indeed, according to the organization, berries may help lower the risk of heart attack in women. Consuming berries helped decrease cholesterol levels and reduced systolic blood pressure, body mass index, and measures of blood sugar, according to a meta-analysis of 22 randomized, controlled trials that was published in March 2016 in Scientific Reports.
The antioxidants in berries promote healthy cell function and protect against inflammation and underlying inflammation which is a driver of disease, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Beyond berries, include as many different-colored fruits and veggies in your diet as possible.
