Nutrition: A Bunch of Berry Benefits

Other than tasting absolutely delicious, berries of all shapes and sizes are extremely nutritious fruits. I know this is not new information for most people. In fact, one may be thinking, “I already knew berries were good for me.” I want to dive a little deeper and give you some fun facts about berries as well as different ways to incorporate the different varieties.


First, a berry is botanically defined as a fleshy fruit produced from a single ovary. They are typically without a stone (e.g., an apricot has a stone) and may have seeds in its fleshy pulp (e.g., a banana). Yes, a banana is actually a BERRY!! Same goes for pomegranate—it is actually a berry from a botanical point of view. Pretty cool, right?!

Here are the varieties of berries we see in our grocery stores and farmer’s markets:

• Strawberries 

My favorite. A natural spring season fruit capable of transforming any tart or bland smoothie into something sweet. Incorporate strawberries into salsas, salads and sauces to add some additional fiber, vitamin c and potassium.

• Blueberries

Antioxidant power house. A large cohort study out of the US, UK and Singapore found that people consuming 3 servings of blueberries, grapes, raisins, pears or apples per week decreased their risk of Type II Diabetes by 7%. 

• Raspberries (golden, black, red)

Try the different raspberry varieties with Chef Karla’s recipe:  MIXED BERRY COBBLER

• Blackberries

Rich in anthocyanins - the phytochemical that gives berries, beets, tart cherries and rhubarb their wonderful color - can help neutralize toxins produced in our bodies. Good thing ALL berries do this!

• Gooseberries and Currants

Check out this currant recipe-- KALE SALAD WITH PINENUTS, CURRANTS AND PARMESAN

• Goji Berries

Mostly available as dried fruit; these berries are high in fiber, vitamin C, and richer in iron compared to other berries. These goodies pack a nice flavor punch to yogurts, homemade granolas, oatmeal, smoothies, salads and more.

• Boysenberries

Boysenberries taste very similar to a blackberry. During the Great Depression, Rudolf Boysen planted this fruit in the Napa Valley region of California. Eventually, berry expert Walter Knott of Knott’s Berry Farms used this berry to create the amazing jam we all love.  You now have an interesting trivia question answered!

• Cranberries

Try to incorporate the fresh, whole cranberries as much as possible. Dried fruit, such as goji berries, are higher in sugar content because they are so concentrated. Use sparingly to incorporate different textures and flavors to your whole foods.

Heart Health: Study Finds Berries Reduce Heart Attack Risk

In a recent post, Lindsay discussed one of the latest “breakthroughs” introduced on the Dr. Oz show, raspberry ketones, the magic fat burning supplement . She pointed out that, as is the case with virtually all of these products that make incredible claims, there is very little if any science to support the claims made by those promoting raspberry ketones. The last point she made in her blog was rather than relying on raspberry ketone supplements, eat whole, fresh raspberries. She also pointed out that among the many nutritional benefits of raspberries, they are a source of anthocyanins.

A study published in the American Heart Association’s journal, Circulation, on January 14^th, just two days after Lindsay’s post supports her recommendation. The study of 93,000 women who were a part of the Nurses’ Health Study, found that a diet rich in blueberries and strawberries, major sources of antocyanins, was associated with a 32% reduction in the risk of heart attacks.

Their findings suggested that the reduced risk stemmed specifically from the antocyanins rather than a reflection of the overall beneficial effect of a diet high in fruits and vegetable. Anthocyanins are a class of phytochemicals thought to have heart friendly antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.  In addition to raspberries, blueberries and strawberries other sources include, blackberries, black currants, concord grapes, red cabbage and eggplants. The authors of the study commented, “This data is important from a public health perspective because these fruits can be easily incorporated into the habitual diet.”

Earlier studies by the same research team found that high levels of anthocyanin intake were associated with significantly lower blood pressure levels.

The best news for me is that often, it seems, the foods that best for us, may not be the most palatable, but most of us enjoy the foods that are the richest in anthocyanins (I’ll pass on eggplant though) making this an easy guideline to implement.