By Kejal Sheth
Berries have low fat and energy content, while being good sources of fibre and micronutrients like folic acid, selenium, carotenoids including lutein. They contain polyphenols especially flavonoids, anthocyanins. Intake of berries has been inversely associated with the risk of acute myocardial infraction and thus may be cardio-protective.
RASPBERRY:
It is rich in carotene, highly valued for its sweet flavour, which is used in jams, custard, ice-creams and other dessert. They are rich in pigments and contain many polyphenols (anthocyanidins) and organic acids like malic acid. It may be useful in many health conditions like gout, eczema, indigestion. In animal models, black raspberries have been shown to protect against cancer and have anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Strawberry:
Its bright red colour, shape, size, memorable aroma and flavour attract everyone. It contains more than 200 flavour compounds. It is valuable for its vitamin c, iron and fibre content and in addition is a rich source of phenolic compounds. Besides being a flavourful and colourful fruit, it has good anti-oxidant capacity and is beneficial in reducing total and LDL cholesterol. It also have beneficial effects in terms of preventing aging, modulation inflammation, pain and cancer.
CAPE GOOSEBERRY:
It is a good source of carotene, thiamine and vitamin C, minerals and tannins. It has anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and may have a preventive role in several disease like cancer and cardio-vascular disease.
BLUEBERRY:
They are good source of vitamin C, bioflavonoids and glycosides. Hence, these berries possess high anti-oxidant capacity. It is valued for fighting infection, thus its soup is found to be a good remedy for diarrhoea. Most of the health benefits are attributed to the anthocyanins that give the typical colour. It has been shown to reduce total and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, abdominal fat and hence risk of heart disease as well as improving fasting glucose and insulin sensitivity. Blueberries have ranked first in anti-oxidant activity compared to other fresh fruits and vegetables.it has a protective effect against urinary tract infection by preventing the bacteria to adhere to the walls of urinary tract.
CRANBERRY:
Cranberry juice has been popular for treating urinary tract infection (UTI) for ages. It is alkaline in nature and provides shield between epithelial cells and bacteria, thereby helps against infection. It may be due to presence of many nutrients and phytochemicals. The proanthocyanidins also prevents dental plaque formation. It also has shown positive effect in killing the H. pylori bacteria, which can cause stomach cancer and ulcers. It may also be useful in increasing HDL and decreasing LDL levels for preventing cancer.
