This Week: Blackberries!

Blackberries are a low carb fruit and known as a superfood due to the high nutritional value. They contain Potassium, Magnesium, Vitamin C, Folate, Vitamin and  Vitamin K, just to name a few. They are also high in antioxidants.
 
Just one serve of blackberries (one cup or 144g) delivers up to 31% of your recommended daily intake of fibre, both soluble and insoluble, helps to ‘keep you regular’, aid in digestion and slow the absorption of sugar and fat into the bloodstream. Blackberries are virtually fat free, and the tiny amount of fats they do contain are known as healthy fats, helping to reduce vascular inflammation and improve heart health.
 
Blackberries contain a large amount of Vitamin C, as well as the mineral Manganese. These are highly potent antioxidants that reduce oxidative stress. These coupled with the other antioxidants can help slow or prevent several metabolic and aging-related diseases.
 
People who consume regular amounts of blackberries are shown to have significantly increased fat oxidation. They also have improved insulin sensitivity, which helps to prevent obesity and diabetes. The anthocyanins in blackberries help protect against a lot of cancers, by inhibiting the growth of cancer cells.
 
The leaves and fruit have both anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties, helping to prevent and treat periodontal infections and improving gum health. The vitamin K helps to prevent osteoporosis and osteopenia, and the manganese helps with bone development.
 
Detriments: blackberries contain several known allergens, although true allergies to blackberries as a whole is quite rare. The main chemical linked to allergic reactions in blackberries is salicylates, which is related to aspirin. Therefore if you are allergic to aspirin, you may develop symptoms such as itchy skin, hives or rash, tingling sensations on your face, sinus congestion, runny nose or watery eyes. If you have any of these symptoms after consuming blackberries, consult your GP.