Raspberry is one of the popular berries that many love to have often. The bright red colored berry is a good source of minerals, vitamins and plant derived chemicals that promote to the betterment of one’s health. Apart from following a better lifestyle and healthy way of living, eating the right fruits and vegetables do promote a lot to the improvement of one’s health.
Raspberry blooms in a shrub that belongs to the Rosaceae family. It is said to have its origin from the European continent. These days, it is widely cultivated in majority of the temperate zone countries. Some of the countries that cultivate this berry are Poland, Chile, United States and Germany.
There are a lot of subspecies of the berry. The red raspberry is the most popular one. The berry is a unity of small drupe fruits that are neatly arranged in a circular way. The central cavity is hollow. Every drupelet has single seed that has yellow-white tinge. Some variations of the berry are acidic while others are sweet. The various hybrids of this berry come in black, white, yellow, orange and purple colors.
Raspberries - Health benefits
- Raspberries are low in fat and calories. They are rich in dietary fiber and have a good amount of antioxidants. So it is good for overall health and wellness.
- Xylitol, which is a low calorie sugar substitute, is extracted from this berry. Consumption of this is healthier than taking a regular sugar, which has high calories. People with diabetes can use Xylitol if they want to have sugar substitute which is healthy.
- Antioxidants such as Vitamin E and Vitamin A are found in Raspberry. It also contains Poly phenolic antioxidants such as lutein, B carotene and zeaxanthin, which are health promoting flavanoids. These works as protective scavengers that fight against free radicals from oxygen as well as ROS or reactive oxygen species that promote aging and also other diseases.
- Raspberries contain high amount of phenolic flavonoid phytochemicals like salicylic acid, anthocyanins, kaempferol, tannin, catechins, quercetin, pelargonidin, etc. The antioxidants found in raspberries can help to cure aging, cancer, inflammation as well as several other serious diseases.
- Vitamin C is yet another powerful antioxidant that is found in Raspberries, especially fresh ones. When vitamin c is consumed, it helps in resisting the body against several infections, inflammation and also clears out the free radicals that are extremely harmful to the body.
- They have minerals in it. Some of the minerals present in the berry are magnesium, copper, iron and magnesium.
Choosing and storing
Raspberries are available all through the year. But the season comes between June and October. Raspberries are good for harvesting when they become deep in color. This is a sign that says that they are ripe and sweet enough for consumption.
Choose berries that have a shiny and deep color. Do not choose those which are bruised and discolored. Since they are not good to be stored without refrigeration, consume them within a few days. If refrigerated, you can have them for a day or two.
You can clean them by dipping them in a bowl filled with water. Remove the dirt and dust on the berry and dry them with the help of towel or tissues. Raspberries are good to be added to salads, as snacks and as an ingredient in ice creams, yogurt, smoothies and milkshakes.
Make sure to include raspberries in your daily diet if you want to remain hale and healthy and also feel young and energetic. Include the berries to your salads or smoothies as a step towards healthy living, since these are loaded with loads of nutrients and minerals essential for keeping the body healthy and energetic.
