Berries are perfect for breakfast as well as for a snack or dessert. You can consume them fresh during summer or freeze for the winter and make delicious cakes, oatmeals, or smoothies. With many nutritional benefits, fruits like blueberries, strawberries, acai berries, blackberries, and raspberries are excellent antioxidants. It’s proven that they can lower your blood pressure or keep your bone strength. This sounds like a good reason to start consuming berries if you are not doing it already.
What Are the Main Health Benefits?
The essential ingredient of many berries is anthocyanin. It’s usually found in blueberries, blackcurrants, blackberries, and cranberries, and one of the functions is to give blue, red, and purple pigment. Choosing berries with anthocyanins is helpful for your body because of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer benefits. People from A Better Weigh say that you should pay attention to these functions:
- Weight loss
Because of their fiber content, blueberries might improve the health of your digestive tract. Plus, dietary fiber is considered the most important factor in the weight loss process. It reduces appetite and increases the feeling of fullness. Even if you are on a low-carb diet, eating berries is allowed in small quantities. For example, ten raspberries have about 2.3 g of carbs and 1.3 g of fiber.
- Blood sugar regulation
Some people believe that consuming berries might improve blood sugar and insulin levels. It’s equally for healthy people and people with insulin resistance. Reducing blood pressure enables anthocyanin from above. Having high blood pressure brings the risk of heart diseases, and they say that chemical compounds found in berries will help you fight any type of inflammation that causes certain problems. Blueberries are free of sodium and are high in calcium and magnesium. These minerals are found helpful in lowering blood pressure. Maybe you should start using berries daily like a snack or an easy breakfast with a smoothie.
- Preventing cancer
Certain substances from berries such as anthocyanins, ellagic acid, and resveratrol play a vital role in preventing cancer. Also, vitamins C and A are known as powerful disease-fighters, and they will indeed protect your cells against damage. Blackberries and goji berries are rich in these vitamins so it’s reasonable why they should be a part of your diet. After all, every type of diet rich in vitamins, proteins, minerals that includes a lot of vegetables and fruits is considered the natural cure.
- Good for your skin
Collagen is one of the crucial parts of your skin structure. It allows your skin to stretch, but if it’s damaged, your skin will probably develop wrinkles. Natural damage occurs usually because of the sun, smoke, or pollution. Antioxidants found in berries are the main reason for blocking enzymes that break down collagen. Vitamin C is also considered pretty helpful in smoothing the skin. Only one cup of blueberries provides you with around 25 percent of the recommended daily allowance of this vitamin.
How to Consume Berries?
Finding fresh berries in the middle of winter is a challenge. Instead, if you find fresh berries in the market, buying larger quantities is always the best option. You can freeze them by yourself, or buy them in the nearest shop, so you can add them to your meals, salads, or even make syrups, juices, and ice cream. Combining a few types of berries will make your meal richer in nutrients and tastier. Just remember to be careful with sugar, because making a balance is the recipe for a healthier life.
