Berry Bonanza
The Washington Post, 16 June 2004
Tips:
Berries Every Day
The Washington Post, 16 June 2004
By Katherine Tallmadge, M.A., R.D.
American Dietetic Association Spokesperson
Author, Diet Simple: 192 Mental Tricks, Substitutions, Habits & Inspirations (LifeLine Press, 2004)
The coming of summer is wonderful for many reasons, not the least of which is the abundant return of one of my favorite foods: ripe, freshly picked berries. Every Sunday I hustle to my farmers' market to see what new berries the local farmers will have waiting for me. Plump, ripe strawberries have been around now for the past month. But now are blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, currants and gooseberries.
There are very few foods that match the beautiful color and intense flavor of berries. And, fortunately for berry lovers, these fruits are nutrition superstars.
For many years, most berries were regarded as nutritionally inferior because of their lack of traditional essential nutrients, like vitamins C and A. But that was before scientists discovered the presence of large amounts of beneficial phytochemicals.
Apparently, each berry is a little factory of at least 100 nutrients and phytochemicals, the plant compounds with potent powers of healing. Some of the most important phytochemicals in berries are antioxidants, which are powerful substances believed to reduce inflammation, improve immune function and help prevent heart disease and cancers, among other benefits.
Antioxidants are compounds that absorb oxygen free radicals-molecules that cause oxidation in the body's cells. Scientists believe that these molecules cause most of the diseases of aging, such as immune system decline, arthritis, heart disease, cancer and neurological impairments effecting cognition and balance. Think of oxidation as being similar to rusting. Or imagine an apple slice turning brown. By simply adding lemon juice, an antioxidant, the apple's flesh stays fresh and prevents the browning or oxidation.
A similar thing happens in your body. Oxidation is constantly occurring in your cells due to environmental pollutants, smoking, the sun, the heat generated through basic metabolic functioning, unhealthy diets and other factors. It takes a large supply of antioxidants to counter this. Berries have been found to have one of the highest antioxidant scores of all fruits and vegetables.
But there are other good reasons to eat berries. The berry family contains 300 to 400 beneficial, disease-fighting chemicals. The phytochemicals in berries, depending on the berry, also stimulate the immune system, reduce inflammation, enhance cancer-fighting enzymes, influence hormone metabolism positively, have antibacterial and antiviral effects and may even reverse some aspects of brain aging.
The most potent berries are the more deeply colored varieties, especially blackberries, blueberries and cranberries, followed by raspberries, strawberries and cherries (not technically a berry) but all more potent than most other fruits. Their color is provided by one of the most powerful phytochemicals, called anthocyanins.
"Anthocyanins play a role in maintaining oxidative status within the gut, protecting against cancers of the gastrointestinal tract," says Ronald Prior, nutritionist at the Arkansas Childrens Nutrition Center in Little Rock. "Blackberries have been shown in animals to protect against colon and esophageal cancer." A preliminary human study found blueberries inhibited blood clotting, a risk factor in cardiovascular disease.
The anthocyanins in blueberries (in blackberries, and the new “acai berry) may also be responsible for improving some aspects of aging, such as memory, motor coordination, balance, vision and even symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, according to many years of animal studies. New studies with humans are offering promising results, too. At a Connecticut senior center, people eating 2 cups of blueberries a day reported an increase in reaction speed, especially men. The women reported that they felt happier and felt fewer aches and pains. Another study found that anthocyanin levels increase in your blood after eating high-anthocyanin berries, which shows that they are processed effectively and actually increase antioxidant activity in the blood, which could benefit all of your organs.
"Blueberries have interesting, surprising qualities," says James Joseph, director of the neuroscience lab at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. "We're hoping foods such as blueberries can help prevent Alzheimer's disease in humans as they do in rats."
The scientists found similar effects in cranberries. Cranberries have additional phytochemicals called tannins. They may be responsible for helping to prevent urinary tract infections, stomach ulcers, gum disease and even ear infections in children. Cranberries are also effective against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and 20 percent of urinary tract infections are resistant to antibiotics. The tannins work by blocking the disease-causing bacteria and preventing it from adhering to human cell walls.
New research conducted at the Natural Products Utilization Research Unit of USDA's Agricultural Research Service has found that raspberries, blueberries, cranberries and huckleberries also contain a phytochemical called resveratrol. Resveratrol is thought to be responsible for cancer and cardiovascular disease prevention.
Strawberries contain large amounts of phytochemicals called ellagitannins, which are also in raspberries and blackberries. Studies at UCLA's Center for Human Nutrition found they are capable of inhibiting a number of key steps in the development of cardiovascular disease and may have immense potential for the prevention and treatment of heart disease and stroke. Strawberries are also high in Vitamin C, an antioxidant vitamin and folic acid, important for preventing birth defects.
Most of what scientists know about berries has been determined in animal studies and in labs using cell cultures. But the few human clinical studies are showing promising results. Human studies on berries are limited because they're very expensive, and as one scientist explained, "You can't patent a berry!" This means that big pharmaceutical companies are unwilling to foot the research bill. Food commodity groups, such as blueberry or strawberry growers, fund some, but their research dollars are limited. It's up to Uncle Sam to find out if we can save millions of dollars on medications and hospitalizations for inflammatory diseases, urinary tract infections, cardiovascular disease and even cancers-by simply eating more berries.
Endit
Berries are an ideal food. Besides being delicious and colorful on a plate, they're “nutrient-dense,” loaded with nutrients, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and they're low in calories. It's important to eat a variety of berries because each brings its own unique health-giving property to the table.
Berries will have maximum flavor and phytochemical content when picked at ripeness. Freezing them when ripe or buying ripe frozen berries is a great alternative. But, simply ripening a berry on your kitchen counter will increase its phytochemical content, too.
"Berries fit perfectly with any meal or snack,"says Janie Hibler, author of "The Berry Bible" (William Morrow, 2004), in which Hibler provides recipes ranging from smoothies, drinks and breads to soups, salads, salsas, main courses and desserts.
What are some ways we can eat berries every day?
"A no-brainer," she says, "is a berry smoothie for breakfast." For lunch, she says, throw a handful into your salad. For snacks, carry dried berries and nuts. At dinner, berries go beautifully with meats, grains and main courses. You can also make berry popcicles, syrups for pancakes and spritzers.
Hibler recommends always having berry purees or coulis on hand. "A sauce rivaled by none," she says. But they also are great added to drinks, smoothies, yogurts, cereal-you name it. To make a coulis, rinse and drain the berries, process in a food processor, add a little sugar or even liqueur, if desired. It will keep in your refrigerator for three to four days or be frozen for a month.
-Katherine Tallmadge
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