Berries and Their Health Benefits - Prevent Cancer?

Berries are a delicious, healthy snack that can provide many health benefits. Here is a list of some of the most common berry benefits and how to enjoy them to their fullest potential:

Berries are high in nutrients and antioxidants, which help protect against cancer and other diseases. They also contain potassium, magnesium, vitamin C, fiber, and flavonoids.

Berry consumption has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease by reducing bad cholesterol levels and inflammation in the arteries. Additionally, they may play an important role in weight loss because they promote satiety (feeling full after eating) and increase calorie burn.

Some berries have anti-inflammatory properties that can help relieve symptoms such as pain relief from arthritis or menstrual cramps. In addition, blueberries have antioxidant activity that helps fight free radicals associated with various diseases, including cancer.

How should you eat them?

There are many ways to enjoy your favorite berries! You can eat them fresh off the tree or pluck them while they're still soft (this is called "strawberry picking"). You can also prepare fruit salads or smoothies with them; try adding different types of berries for added flavor variation!

SOURCES:

American Institute for Cancer Research: “AICR’s Foods That Fight Cancer: Blueberries.”

American Chemical Society: “Blueberries, the well-known ‘super-fruit’ could help fight Alzheimer’s.”

U.S. Department of Agriculture: “Blueberries.”

Mayo Clinic: “What are acai berries and what are their possible health benefits?”

Northwestern University Women’s Health Research Institute: “Science and the Acai Berry.”

NC State: Plants for Human Health Institute: “Blackberries.”

Oregon State University/Berry Health Network: “Blackberries,” “Red Raspberries.”

UT El Paso/Austin Cooperative Pharmacy Program & Paso del Norte Health Foundation: “Herbal Safety: Goji.”

National Health Service: “Do goji berries deserve their A-list status?”

NIH/National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: “Cranberry,” “Bilberry.”

Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture: “American cranberries and health benefits -- an evolving story of 25 years.”

Iowa State University Agricultural Marketing Resource Center: “Aronia Berries.”

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health: “Inorganic Macro- and Micronutrients in ‘Superberries’ Black Chokeberries (Aronia melanocarpa) and Related Teas.”

U.S. Department of Agriculture/National Institute of Food and Agriculture: “Investigating the Health Benefits of Berries.”

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: “Elderberry.”

University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service: “Cloudberries.”

California Kiwifruit Commission: “Health and Nutrition.”

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition: “The Nutritional and Health Benefits of Kiwiberry (Actinidia arguta) -- a Review.”

Advances in Gerontology: “Dietary supplementation with bilberry extract prevents macular degeneration and cataracts in senesce-accelerated OXYS rats.”

USDA Forest Service: “Huckleberries.”

University of Minnesota Extension: “Currants and gooseberries in the home garden.”

European Journal of Cancer Prevention: “Amla (Emblica officinalis Gaertn,) a wonder berry in the treatment and prevention of cancer.”

Food & Function: “Hepatoprotective properties of the Indian gooseberry (Emblica officinalis Gaertn): a review.”

Pharmacological Research: “Emblica officinalis (Amla): A review for its phytochemistry, ethnomedicinal uses and medicinal potentials with respect to molecular mechanisms.”

The American Journal of Chinese Medicine: “Multiple Effects of Ginseng Berry Polysaccharides: Plasma Cholesterol Level Reduction and Enteric Neoplasm Prevention.”

International Journal of Nanomedicine: “Ginseng-berry mediated gold and silver nanoparticle synthesis and evaluation of their in vitro antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxicity effects on human dermal fibroblast and murine melanoma skin cell lines.”

Journal of Food Science: “American Ginseng Berry Juice Intake Reduces Blood Glucose and Body Weight in ob/ob Mice.”

University of California Agriculture & Natural Resources: “Avocado Information.”

Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition: “Hass Avocado Composition and Potential Health Effects.”

Produce for Better Health Foundation: “Top 10 Ways to Enjoy Avocados,” “About the Buzz: Are Strawberries the Superfood You’ve Been Eating Your Whole Life?”

Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition: “Potential Impact of Strawberries on Human Health: A Review of the Science.”