benefits of black berries

Benefits of Black berries

21. Heart Function
Blackberry juice may be good for your heart, according to a group of researchers from Policlinico Universitario in Messina, Italy, who published a 2003 study in Life Sciences, a scientific journal distributed by Science Direct. They observed the antioxidant activity of blackberry juice on vascular tissue damaged by free radicals induced by peroxynitrite, an oxidant that can damage or destroy DNA and cells. Compounds called anthocyanins, they concluded, may increase the juices antioxidant activity and protect your cardiovascular system from disease.
22. Motor and Cognitive Skills
blackberry intake may have a positive impact on motor and cognitive skills, which often decline with age. The researchers fed blackberries to aged rats for 8 weeks, after which they tested their ability to perform a series of tasks. The rats that ate a diet supplemented by 2 percent with blackberries displayed better motor performance, balance and coordination than the control group. The blackberryeating rats also showed significantly greater shortterm memory performance.
23. Oral Health
blackberries contain gallic acid, rutin and ellagic acid, compounds that may have antiviral and antibacterial properties. In 2012, researchers from the University of Kentucky and the University of North Carolina examined the effects of blackberry extracts antibacterial properties on periodontal health. After testing it on 10 different kinds of bacteria, they concluded that blackberry extracts ability to kill pathogens, along with its antiinflammatory and antiviral properties, make it a promising ingredient in products designed to prevent or treat periodontal infections.
24. Cardiovascular Benefits
The anthocyanins that give blackberries their dark color are antioxidants shown to reduce inflammation by helping combat free radicals in the body that destroy cells and lead to heart disease. Vitamin C in blackberries acts as an antioxidant, and one cup of this delicious berry contains half of the daily recommendation of vitamin C. The immune system uses vitamin C to fight illness adequate vitamin C intake may lower the risk of developing heart disease. One cup of blackberries contains over thirty percent of the daily recommended amount of fiber, promoting healthy digestion and reducing the risk of heart disease.
25. Skin Health
blackberries are a great source of ellagic acid, an antioxidant shown to protect the skin from damage from ultraviolet light. Studies have also shown that ellagic acid may also repair skin damaged by the sun. Vitamin C helps heal wounds, and studies also show vitamin C may even lessen the appearance of wrinkles. Studies of cyanidin3glucoside, a compound found in blackberries showed it prevents skin cancer by inhibiting tumors from growing and spreading.
26. Eye Health
Vitamin C functions as an antioxidant in blackberries and one cup contains half of the daily recommendation of vitamin C. The body uses vitamin C for protection from immune system deficiencies, and may reduce the chances of macular degeneration, a condition in which fine vision deteriorates, resulting in central vision loss and is the leading cause of blindness in people over 50.
27. Womens Health
Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring plant estrogens found in blackberries that may help relieve the common symptoms of PMS like bloating, food cravings, and even menopausal symptoms including hot flashes.
28. Digestive Tract Health
Just one cup of blackberries contains over thirty percent of the daily recommended amount of fiber, which promotes healthy digestion and aids in maintaining bowel regularity by bulking up the feces and reducing the time it takes matter to pass all the way through the intestines. Bowel regularity is commonly associated with a decreased risk for colon cancer.
29. Skeletal Benefits
The vitamins C and K and the trace mineral manganese in blackberries all benefit your bones. Vitamin K activates proteins needed to deposit new bone mineral tissue a process essential to maintaining strong bones. Each serving of blackberries contains 29 micrograms of vitamin K 24 and 32 percent of the recommended daily intakes for men and women, respectively.
30. Consuming More Blackberries
Use blackberries to add sweetness and nutritional value to your meals. Start your day with a bowl of rolled oats topped with fresh blackberries and apple slices, or top your Greek yogurt with blackberries and hulled hemp seeds. Bake blackberries into wholegrain muffins or add them to leafy green salads. If youre craving a relatively nutritious desert, try heating blackberries with sliced peaches in the microwave, and top with rolled oats for healthful blackberry crumble.