Health Benefits of Berries: 5 Ways They Can Save Your Life
When you dig into the facts behind berries, it’s quite fascinating to discover that such tiny and delicate fruits are a storehouse of power for the human body.
Cranberries, blueberries, boysenberries, raspberries, strawberries, and fresh currants are just some of the SuperFoods that contain phytonutrients and vitamins that inspire the body’s cells to communicate with each other more efficiently.
This means that they have to power to decrease your chance of cancer and protect the body in numerous ways — including the following.
5 Health Benefits of Berries
- Decrease Your Chance of Cancer
One of the best ways to decrease your chances of forming cancer is to enrich your diet with blueberries. A serving of blueberries offers the body massive amounts of antioxidants, nearly 1800 IU of vitamin E and more than 1200 milligrams of vitamin C. - Lower Your Risk of Type-2 Diabetes
According to a 2013 study published in the British Medical Journal, those who consume at least two servings of blueberries, have a 23 percent lower chance of developing type-2 diabetes. There are multiple reasons for this, but one includes the high amount of fiber found within berries. - Maintain a Healthy Heart
A study published in PLoS Medicine found that by eating a diet rich in fruit (including berries) you can modify the 9p21 gene, which has been directly attributed to heart disease. - Stay Mentally Sharp
The Annals of Neurology discovered that by eating two servings of strawberries or a single serving of blueberries per week, mental decline is slowed. More specifically, it found that study participants who ate the most berries postponed cognitive decline by 2.5 years.
According to Elizabeth Devore (the author of the study), it was concluded “the effect might be related to a class of compounds called anthocyanidins … found almost exclusively in berries, are known to cross the blood-brain barrier and locate in learning and memory centers in the brain.”
- Prevent Parkinson’s
Finally, the journal Neurology published a report that states people who eat at least two servings of berries per week are 25% less likely of developing Parkinson’s disease. It also found that men who take in the highest level of flavonoids in their peer group reduce their risk by 40 percent.
There are numerous other reasons to regularly incorporate berries to your diet. They can do everything from improving digestion to helping you lose weight.
When selecting berries for your diet, it’s important that you choose organic. These SuperFoods tend to have the most pesticides of any other fruit. Make every effort to find a great supplier, even if it means you purchase frozen, organic berries.
