What is a berry? The common grouping of berries would include blueberries, strawberries, cranberries, raspberries and the like — but all is not as it seems.
The botanical definition of a berry is a fleshy fruit that develops from a single plant ovary and is surrounded by a single flesh wall. So, in fact, none of the “berries” listed above is a berry at all! They range from “false berries” (cranberries and blueberries) to “aggregate fruit” (blackberries and raspberries) and “accessory fruit” (strawberries). To add another bizarre twist, bananas, tomatoes, eggplants and grapes do fit into the botanical definition of a berry.
This article will be looking at the common berries (like blueberries) rather than the botanically correct berries because these are the fruits that provide the biggest nutrient and phytochemical boost to your body. They are even considered by many to be superfoods. This is not surprising, given the enormous amount of research supporting their beneficial effects on a huge range of conditions and diseases.
Why are they so berry good?
Researchers continue to find more and more evidence linking blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, cranberries and raspberries to better health for you. The biggest reason for their health benefits is the plant chemicals (phytochemicals) these fruits contain. Their effects range from antioxidant to anti-inflammatory to anti-cancer and one of the big groups of phytochemicals responsible for all these benefits is the flavonoid.
Flavonoids are found in many fruits and vegetables as they are often used by plants to increase their survival rate and encourage growth. They do this by acting either to detoxify, stimulate germination or as an attractor or repellant to other species (through colour and flavour). A good example of this is the way many of the flavonoids found in berries make them tasty to eat. By encouraging different animals to eat the fruit, the seeds are spread even further, which increases the plant’s survival rate.
There are around 6000 flavonoids in total which are broken up into five main groups. One of the most important groups found in berries is anthocyanins. These flavonoids give a plant that blue or purple colour and are known to be very strongly antioxidant, with studies even showing them to offer UV protection.
There is an enormous range of flavonoids found in berries with a wider range of actions than just antioxidant. They have been found to act as antibacterials, antivirals and anti-inflammatories and to enhance the action of certain nutrients such as vitamin C. Some have even been linked to wrinkle reduction through their effects on your collagen production. So, through the attempts of these plants to achieve health and survival, you can also reap the benefits.
Clearly, these fruit are worth eating (if only for their flavour) — but are some berries better for you than others? Current research keeps pointing to blueberries as the strongest foods in terms of antioxidant content, but with such a diverse range of benefits throughout, all are worth a look — and taste.
Strawberries
Strawberries have grown wild for thousands of years. With the development of bigger, juicier and easier-to-grow varieties over the past 200 years, they are now the most widely eaten berry in the world.
They contain an abundance of anthocyanin and so have fantastic antioxidant capabilities. Strawberries also exert an anti-inflammatory effect that works by the same mechanisms as drugs such as aspirin, but without the side effects.
Recently, studies have been done on a lesser-known flavonoid found in strawberries called fesitin. Results have shown remarkable improvements on short- and long-term memory which is thought to occur because of fesitin’s ability to create new neural pathways in your brain. Even more interesting are the findings from research into strawberries and cancer. Results have shown that a phenol from strawberries can cause a significant reduction in liver cancer cell growth. With all of these health benefits, strawberries have never looked so tasty!
Raspberries
This fruit has been eaten since prehistoric times and with good reason. Raspberries contain a range of antioxidant phytochemicals including ellagic acid, quercetin and kaempferol.
With a 50 per cent higher level of antioxidants than strawberries, this fruit has shown great hope for conditions as diverse as candida, cancer and bacterial infection. Candida albicans and E. coli are microbes which result in significant health problems world wide. In 2000, researchers found a range of the flavonoids from raspberries could inhibit these two organisms as well as a number of other microbial infections. More good news came in 2002 when a study showed significant reduction in oesophageal and colon tumour growth with the supplementation of raspberry extracts.
Cranberries
Cranberries grow wild throughout Europe, North America and Canada. Despite its being perhaps one of the least popular berries, huge amounts of evidence has been collected about the cranberry’s widespread health benefits.
Its most commonly known use is in the treatment and prevention of urinary tract infections. This is achieved as cranberry juice stops the adherence of bacteria to the urinary tract wall. Another well-documented advantage of cranberry juice is its positive effect on cardiovascular health. It is thought to be able to lower “bad” cholesterol as well as create stronger vein and capillary walls, which in turn results in a reduced rate of heart attack.
Cranberry has also been found to reduce the formation of kidney stones due to its effect on urinary acidity. This, combined with the findings that its antioxidant capabilities are greater than that of vitamin E, adds up to a lot of good reasons to get stuck into cranberry juice.
Blackberries
Blackberries have been eaten for thousands of years and in fact were recommended by the Romans for gout and by Native Americans for stomach troubles. The Romans and the North Americans were right. Due to their good levels of vitamin C and anthocyanins, blackberries can help remove the cause of gout by reducing uric acid buildup in the joints. Its astringent properties mean the blackberry can be helpful for gut inflammation, diarrhoea and bleeding.
Aside from these traditional uses, blackberries have a great array of flavonoids. This means that like other berries they have strong antioxidant properties that can help prevent diseases such as cancer.
Unique amongst the berries, blackberries contain both Vitamin E and omega 3 in their seeds. Both these nutrients are very important for good cardiovascular health and can have an anti-inflammatory effect on your body. So, although not as abundant as perhaps the strawberry, the blackberry is well worth a try.
Blueberries
The blueberry is seen by many as the king of the berries and research shows why. Not only is it higher in antioxidants than any other berry; it seems to have more studies supporting its health benefits than virtually any other fruit.
Research has shown blueberries can have positive effects for conditions as diverse as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. They have also been found to have anti-inflammatory properties and to reduce skin ageing — which means fewer wrinkles!
Last but not least is the finding that the active constituents of blueberries can cross the blood-brain barrier and improve conditions such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s as well as just everyday poor memory.
Vitamin Boost
With all this talk of antioxidants and flavonoids, it’s easy to forget some of the basics that make berries so very good for you. Every type of berry is bursting with vitamins and minerals that can lead to a healthier you. The table below rates each berry as a source of certain nutrients.
| Blueberry | Blackberry | Cranberry | Raspberry | Strawberry | |
| Vitamin C | v. good | good | excellent | excellent | excellent |
| Manganese | v. good | good | good | excellent | v. good |
| Vitamin B1 | good | good | |||
| Fibre | v. good | v. good | v. good | excellent | v. good |
| Vitamin E | good | good | |||
| Iron | good | ||||
| Folate | good | good |
Tasty tips
- Fresh is always best since the riper the fruit the higher its antioxidant content.
- Frozen berries do lose some of their vitamin content but retain most of their antioxidants so this is your next best option.
- Cooking will reduce vitamins but not many antioxidants. Packaged and processed foods however seem to have much lower levels of both.
- A half to one cup of mixed berries every day is the ideal amount to aim for to achieve health benefits (although every little bit counts).
- If using the juice as your source of berries, be sure to go for unsweetened as you don’t want to negate the health benefits by loading up on sugar.
- A number of commercially grown berries are sprayed quite heavily which can result in the consumption of higher levels of these chemicals than is desirable. The best option is to go organic where you can. If this isn’t possible, soaking the fruit in a water/apple cider vinegar mix (half a sinkful to 1 cap of vinegar) for a minimum of 10 minutes then rinsing well will help remove any undesirables from the skin of the fruit.
Medicinal berries
Apart from the tasty berries you find in your supermarket, there are a range of berries traditionally used by herbalists. They may not taste quite as good but they still pack a health punch.
Elderberries
- A native to Europe which now grows wild in Australia and New Zealand.
- The berries are fantastic for colds and flus or any “mucousy” conditions due to their anti-inflammatory effects. They are also known to be helpful for arthritis for this same reason.
- Elderberries are one of the tastiest of the medicinal plants and can be eaten fresh or dried and taken as a tea or concentrated extract. Approximately 6g of the fresh berries three times per day is a helpful dose.
Bilberries
- This is probably one of the most well known of the medicinal berries and perhaps the tastiest. This is not surprising as they are a European cousin to the blueberry.
- Bilberries have been proven to strengthen veins and capillaries. This means they are not only very useful for varicose veins but cardiovascular health generally. They are also well known for their affinity for the eyes and can help reduce eye inflammation and strain.
- As they are hard to get fresh, using them as a tea, extract from your naturopath or supplement from your health food store is the best way to go.
- About 10g per day is a good level to achieve health benefits.
Schisandra berry
- A native of China, this herb is a fantastic tonic.
- Schisandra is used by naturopaths to support liver and nervous system function and can be helpful to improve concentration and memory.
- It can also be taken as a tea but is more commonly prescribed in tablet or concentrated extract form.
Hawthorn berry
- Originating from Europe, this plant has a long history in herbalism.
- Its berries are antioxidant and it is traditionally used as a tonic for the cardiovascular system.
Goji berry
- In recent years this berry has had some remarkable claims made about its health benefits. These include its ability to reduce cholesterol, promote energy, aid in diabetes and help hormonal balance.
- Most of the research and claims have been put forward by the manufacturers themselves, so it can be difficult to know what is true. But there is no doubt the berries are very high in antioxidants, so including them in your diet can only be of benefit.
- A minimum of 6 per day or 25mL of a standard juice is the recommended dose to achieve benefit.
NOTE: With any herbal medicine, it is always advisable to speak to your herbalist or naturopath first to ensure the herbs are suitable for you and that you achieve the best results.
The ORAC Scale
You may have heard mentioned something called the ORAC scale in relation to antioxidants. ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. It was developed by the US Department of Agriculture to measure the antioxidant content of a wide number of foods. Even though the variety of antioxidants is also important, the ORAC scale does give a basic idea of the importance of certain foods. Included in the list is the banana as it give you an idea of how much stronger the antioxidant levels are in foods we call berries compared to other foods (although the banana is technically a true berry).
| Fruit | ORAC rating per 100g |
| Blueberry | 6552 |
| Cranberry | 5682 |
| Blackberry | 5347 |
| Raspberry | 4882 |
| Strawberry | 3577 |
| Banana | 879 |
Berrylicious
It’s all very well knowing that berries are good for you but here are some tasty and interesting ideas to make it easy (and delicious) to incorporate them into your daily diet.
Berry smoothie
This is an easy way to get a good boost of antioxidants every day. It can be used as a snack or converted to breakfast with the addition of some extra protein – a raw egg or good quality protein powder will do the trick.
375mL soy/rice/cow’s milk
2 dsp natural yoghurt
1½ tsp honey (or to taste)
1 handful fresh or frozen berries (any combination you prefer)
1 dsp LSA (ground linseed/sunflower/almond)
4 or 5 ice cubes
Simply blend all ingredients and enjoy.
Berry blocks
This is a great one for kids and adults alike, especially during the warmer months.
2 cups natural yoghurt
2 cups berries (if using frozen you will need to allow these to defrost before you blend them)
½ cup apple or pear juice
Blend and then freeze in ice block moulds that you can get from any kitchenware shop. These ice blocks taste fantastic and are so much better for you than the sugar and preservative-laden ones you buy in the shops.
Savoury strawberry dressing
Berries don’t need to be confined to sweet dishes. This dressing has got a great bit of tang to it and can be used on salads as well as veggies and even white meats.
½ cup strawberries
1 ½ tbs tahini (nowadays you can find this in your supermarket)
4 tbs good quality olive oil
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
Blend all ingredients and drizzle over food. You can really use any berry for this but I think strawberries and raspberries work the best.
