Berries not only taste good, but they are also good for you.
Some of the most popular berries, like blueberries and strawberries, provide health benefits that range from lowering bad cholesterol to reducing the risk of cancer.
Berries are some of the healthiest foods you can eat, plus they are low in calories and high in fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants.
Berries are affordable, easy to incorporate into daily meals, and can easily be grown in a home garden.
Check out these top berries for health and all the desirable health benefits they offer.
Acai Berries
The western world had not heard of these native Brazilian Amazon berries until the past decade, and they went from obscurity to popularity very quickly.
The high antioxidant content of these berries is what made them a rising star for health benefits.
Acai berries contain 10 times more antioxidants than blueberries.
They also reduce blood sugar, bad cholesterol, and oxidative stress.
Juice made from the acai berry is being used as an effective treatment to reduce pain and improve the range of motion in those suffering from osteoarthritis.
Three-fourths cup of acai berries contains 70 calories, antioxidants, and fiber.
Blueberries
Blueberries lower bad cholesterol, improve artery function and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
These tiny berries are packed with antioxidant polyphenols called anthocyanins that reduce oxidative stress in the body.
Oxidative stress is a precursor for a wide range of chronic health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, and loss of cognitive function.
In addition to antioxidants, blueberries are loaded with fiber, vitamins C & K, and manganese. One cup of fresh or frozen blueberries contains 85 calories.
Blueberry bushes are easy to grow in containers, and just two bushes can provide you plenty of healthy berries year around.
Blackberries
Blackberries are a powerhouse of health benefits and grow wild on the sides of the roadways in the southern part of the United States.
Blackberries are full of fiber and promote proper digestion and elimination.
They are loaded with antioxidants that benefit every part of the body and they help the body detox itself naturally.
These berries improve brain function and reduce the risk of age-related brain disorders, like dementia or Alzheimer’s.
Oral health is also improved and maintained by eating these berries. Blackberries contain anti-bacterial properties that kill oral bacteria to promote healthy gums and teeth.
Blackberries contain anthocyanins and other phytochemicals that make them powerful in preventing certain types of cancer, like lung cancer, colon cancer, and esophageal cancer.
These berries support heart health, strong bones, the immune system, and healthy blood clotting. They are very low in sugar so that they won’t cause weight gain.
Rich in vitamin C, K, & A, high in fiber and antioxidants, one cup of blackberries contains 65 calories.
Bilberries
Closely related to blueberries, the two berries are often mistaken. Bilberries are excellent at reducing the risk of heart disease by reducing inflammation in the body.
These berries increase the good HDL cholesterol and decrease the bad LDL cholesterol to promote heart health.
Those with arthritis or metabolic syndrome have high levels of inflammation and bilberries can help alleviate the symptoms caused by the inflammation.
Bilberries are also used as a weight loss aid and to lower the blood sugar level in diabetics.
One cup of bilberries contains 50 calories, and the berries are loaded with fiber, vitamins C & E.
Boysenberries
These healthy berries look much like raspberries and are rich in folate, manganese and vitamin K.
These delicious berries promote heart health by reducing blood pressure and promoting healthy lining for the arteries and heart.
One cup of boysenberries contains 70 calories, protein, carbohydrates, and zero fat.
Cranberries
Often forgotten about until Thanksgiving comes around, cranberries are a traditional menu item and decorative item during the Holidays.
But we need to create more space year-round on our menus for these healthy berries.
Cranberries contain antioxidant polyphenols in the berry skin, so they must be eaten whole, not juiced, to derive all the health benefits of these tart berries.
Cranberries and their juice reduce the risk of developing urinary tract infections and stomach ulcers and cancer caused by the H. Pylori bacteria.
Cranberry juice improves heart health by lowering cholesterol, reducing blood pressure, preventing hardening of the arteries. Avoid drinking cranberry juice with a lot of added sugar.
One cup of cranberries contains 45 calories, antioxidants, fiber, vitamin C, and manganese.
Chokeberries
Also known as Aronia, chokeberries are bitter tasting and loaded with health benefits.
These tart, bitter berries strengthen the immune system so your body can fend off a variety of conditions naturally.
These small, deep purple berries also protect against oxidative stress and are rich in iron to promote healthy blood.
They have three times the amount of antioxidants as blueberries and have strong anti-inflammatory properties.
Due to the tart, bitter flavor, chokeberries are typically used to make jams and jellies. Be careful with the amount of sugar used in the jam or jelly making process.
One ounce of chokeberries contains 15 calories. The berries are loaded with protein, carbs, fiber, manganese, and vitamins C &K.
Elderberry
These tiny berries are often used to make tea and their extract has become a popular product for reducing the duration and severity of influenza.
The berries have powerful antiviral benefits that have been compared to prescribed medications that treat the flu.
Elderberry tea boosts the immune system so it can naturally fend off viral attacks.
The flowers of the plant are edible also and can be used to make tea or jelly. Both berries and flowers reduce inflammation, promote heart health and reduce stress.
Elderberry tea is also used to relieve constipation, headaches, reduce fever, relieve joint pain and reduce the duration of respiratory infection.
One cup contains 70 calories, vitamins A & C, folate, calcium, iron, and potassium.
Grapes
Grapes make a nutritious snack any time of the day, plus they provide a myriad of health benefits.
The skin and seeds of grapes are an excellent source of antioxidant polyphenols and have been shown to lower blood pressure and reduce heart rate.
Whole grapes reduce bad cholesterol and oxidative stress to help keep your heart healthy.
Eating grapes (or raisins) a few times a week reduces the risk of developing type II diabetes.
Red grape juice helps promote brain health by improving memory and motor skills.
One cup of grapes contains 100 calories, fiber, vitamins C & K, and antioxidants.
Gooseberries
Gooseberries are widely acclaimed as to be a preventative for diabetes.
Whether or not the yellow, tart-tasting berries prevent diabetes is debatable, but they do reduce blood sugar levels and help improve glucose regulation.
Gooseberries are about the size of a grape and taste similar to a sour grape.
They contain citric acid that blocks the accumulation of iron in cells and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and stroke if consumed regularly.
They also reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, which helps to reduce the risk of cancer.
These tart berries promote heart health by preventing the oxidation of bad LDL cholesterol in the blood.
The potassium content of these berries improves blood vessel function and reduces the risk of heart disease.
One cup contains 65 calories, vitamin C & B5, manganese, protein, fiber, antioxidants, and potassium.
Goldenberries
Aptly named for their golden color, these tart berries boost the immune system with their high content of vitamins C and A.
These berries do something that most other berries don’t – they reduce stress, anxiety and promote an overall feeling of emotional well-being.
They are a mild diuretic and help flush toxins from the body.
They contain anti-inflammatory properties that help to reduce joint pain, muscle stiffness, chronic headaches, and respiratory issues.
Goldenberries are high in protein and help keep you feeling fuller longer, so they are a great weight loss aid.
Goldenberries contain 60 calories per cup, vitamin C and fiber.
Loganberries
These berries are a cross between a blackberry and a raspberry, are loaded with juice and have a tart flavor.
The anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties of loganberries provide protection against cancer, and the high vitamin C content strengthens the immune system.
The berries also promote strong bones and healthy blood clotting.
The manganese in the loganberries helps the body naturally fight off diseases like diabetes and arthritis.
The high fiber content of these berries keeps the digestive system functioning properly and promotes digestive health.
One cup of loganberries contains 100 calories, vitamins C & K, protein, and manganese.
Raspberries
These delicious berries come in several varieties and colors.
All raspberries are good for your health but the black ones offer the most health benefits.
All colors and varieties are high in fiber and rich in antioxidant polyphenols called ellagitannins that reduce oxidative stress.
Black raspberries work the hardest to improve heart health.
These berries reduce blood pressure and bad cholesterol, both of which reduce the risk of heart disease.
This variety also reduces inflammation in the body to improve overall health, especially those with arthritis or metabolic syndrome.
Raspberries are loaded with fiber, vitamins C & K, manganese, and contain 65 calories per cup.
Red Mulberries
Red mulberries are touted as a superfood because of the high levels of vitamin C, protein, calcium, and iron.
The berries are rich in antioxidants, reduce inflammation, improve blood circulation, reduce blood pressure, and reduce risk of heart disease.
Red mulberries also contain resveratrol, which is known for its anti-aging properties.
The berries are high in fiber and contain more vitamin C than oranges.
The high calcium content contributes to the building and maintaining strong bones and teeth, and the fiber content helps reduce bad cholesterol.
At only 60 calories per cup, red mulberries are a powerhouse of flavor and health benefits that should be eaten a few times every week.
Goji Berries
These berries are native to China and have been used as an ingredient in Chinese medicine for centuries.
Goji berries have become popular in the Western world in recent years for their use as a weight loss aid.
Juice made from goji berries raises metabolism to enable people to burn more calories and lose weight naturally.
In addition to helping people lose weight, goji berries are rich in vitamin A and zeaxanthin, both of which helps to improve eye health and reduce the risk of age-related vision problems.
Rich in antioxidants, fiber, vitamins C & A, and iron, one ounce of dried goji berries contain 100 calories.
Strawberries
Strawberries are the most popular berry in the world.
Strawberries provide the most vitamin C of any fruit, surpassing citrus fruits.
These red berries significantly reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering bad cholesterol, triglycerides, and oxidative stress.
They also stabilize blood sugar to help diabetics manage their blood sugar level and reduce the risk of developing diabetes for people who don’t have the condition.
Strawberries reduce inflammation in the blood and reduce the risk of developing esophageal cancer.
One cup of strawberries contains 45 calories, manganese, fiber, and vitamin C.
Strawberries are a favorite fruit for home gardeners to grow because they are easy to grow and take up very little space.
Try growing these healthy berries at home in hanging baskets or a decorative strawberry tower.
TayBerries
This hybrid berry is sweet and loaded with vitamin C.
A cross between raspberries and blackberries (like the loganberry, but flavor and texture are different), tayberries are delicate and don’t ship well.
Available only during the summer months, tayberries are worth stocking up on when they are in-season.
They offer health-benefiting folate, fiber, bioflavonoids, and vitamin C.
These berries contain anti-aging properties, promote wound healing, lower bad cholesterol, and work as an anti-diarrheal.
One cup contains 25 calories, iron, fiber, calcium, protein, vitamin A, and magnesium.
Sources:
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/eating-whole-fruits-linked-to-lower-risk-of-type-2-diabetes/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130829214603.htm
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3068482/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5187535/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5187532/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6329469/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20384847
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