Luscious, delicious and brightly hued, berries are a great summer treat and healthy, too. In fact, they’re even healthier than you might have thought, as science continues to provide new insights into why berries deserve "super-food" status.
In particular, berries are capturing the attention of researchers worldwide because of their high antioxidant content. Here are research findings on some of the leading berries with health-enhancing effects:
- Acai berry: This small purple berry found in the Amazon forest has been a traditional food there for centuries and recently made its debut in Western markets. In a University of Florida study, researchers prepared six different chemical extracts from acai fruit pulp, each in seven different concentrations. Acai (ah-SAH’-ee) extracts prompted a "self-destruct response" in up to 86% of leukemia cells tested, depending on the extract and concentration, researcher Stephen Talcott said.
- Blueberry: Eating blueberries may help prevent colon cancer, reduce "bad" cholesterol, counteract the adverse effects of radiation, and decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and inflammation associated with arthritis, various preliminary studies suggest. The compound "pterostilbene" is a potent antioxidant found in blueberries. In a joint study conducted by Rutgers University and the US Department of Agriculture, rats that were given a compound to induce colon cancer and then fed pterostilbene for eight weeks had fewer precancerous lesions of the colon than control rats.
- Cranberry: This berry is perhaps most well known for its effectiveness in treating and preventing urinary tract infections. Now it appears cranberries may also help reduce the severity of stroke damage and fight cancer. A preliminary rat cell tissue study based at the University of Massachusetts concluded that an "antioxidant mechanism" involving compounds in cranberries may protect against the brain cell damage that occurs during stroke. As well, laboratory testing has shown that antioxidants called proanthocyanidins in cranberries restrain the growth of certain cancer cells, notably those of the colon.
- Goji berry: This small red berry has been used for centuries in Asia as an overall health tonic and to enhance eyesight. Again, studies are preliminary but it appears that high levels of the nutrient zeaxanthin in goji berries (sometimes called "wolfberries") may help to prevent age-related macular degeneration, a common disorder causing irreversible loss of central vision. One human supplementation trial found that the zeaxanthin in whole wolfberries is bioavailable, and that a modest daily intake of 15 grams significantly increases fasting blood levels of zeaxanthin.
Sources: American Chemical Society, Mar 25, 2007; The Cranberry Institute, Sep 15, 2003; Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Sep 6, 2004; University of Florida, Jan 12, 2006; www.raysahelian.com; Prevention, Mar 2007
