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Eating nutrient-poor, high-caloric, and highly processed foods is often the cause of poor health. Conversely, integrating a large variety of vegetables and fruits into the diet helps maintain a robust immune system. By integrating this aggregate fruit into your diet, you get more than their yummy taste. Blackberries are packed with vitamins and minerals necessary to bolster the immune system.
Most people are unaware of the exact health benefits of plant based diets containing blackberries. If you’re one of those, read on to find out more.
Berries are loaded with antioxidants, which help keep free radicals at bay. High amounts of these unstable molecules in the body results in oxidative stress, which is linked to some type of cancer. Blackberries contain large amounts of phenolic compounds such as anthocyanins, ellagic acid, ellagitannins, gallic acid, quercetin, and tannins.
Antioxidants present in blackberries readily interact with free radicals and neutralize them. This way, they prevent them from damaging body cells. While the body synthesizes some antioxidants to neutralize free radicals, it also needs dietary antioxidants to supplement the endogenous antioxidants. A great way to do this? Adding blackberries to your daily diet.
Besides being packed with antioxidants, blackberries have anti-inflammatory properties. While inflammation is the body’s protective mechanism against injury and infective microorganisms, excessive and long-term inflammation can be hazardous. Such chronic inflammation may result from eating unhealthy foods, inadequate physical activity, and increased stress. Studies have linked chronic inflammation to diabetes, chronic pain, heart disease, and obesity, all of which are risk factors for limb amputation.
Blackberries are also bursting with flavonoids, which have beneficial effects on cell damage and inflammation. These berries are particularly high in anthocyanin – the pigment that gives them their purple color. If you want to reap the benefits of plant based diets, consider adding blackberries to your meals.
Another health benefit of plant based diets containing blackberries is lowering the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, often referred to as “bad” cholesterol. LDL makes up most of the body’s cholesterol, but high levels potentially raise the risk for heart disease, atherosclerosis, and stroke. This heart-healthy fruit could be a great addition to the diet for obese people as it could potentially lower their cholesterol levels.
Blackberries may also help prevent the oxidation of LDL – a process that potentially increases the risk of heart disease. They are also high in manganese, which helps metabolize cholesterol. Blackberries are also high in fiber, which helps reduce cholesterol levels in the body. In extension, eating a fiber-full diet promotes heart health.
Among the aggregate fruits, blackberries boast higher levels of fiber, including soluble fiber. Studies have indicated that soluble fiber allows for the slow movement of food through the digestive tract. In turn, this increases the feeling of fullness. Considering that blackberries are also low-calorie foods, they could be particularly important for people who are striving to shed some weight.
The benefits of plant based diets high in fiber go beyond weight management. These diets are known to promote regular bowel movement and nourish healthy gut bacteria. What’s more, Blackberries may help prevent digestive problems such as bloating, constipation, and stomach pain.
By adding just one cup of fresh blackberries to your daily diet, you get half of the recommended value of vitamin C. Like other vitamins, vitamin C has various benefits to the body. It helps in the formation of collagen in bones, blood vessels, and connective tissue. This further helps in maintaining healthy skin and its regeneration as well.
Vitamin C also plays a crucial role in wound healing by assisting the formation of collagen. Increased levels of vitamin C in the body have been found to increase collagen synthesis and tensile strength by helping in the hydroxylation of lysine and proline, which are major constituents of collagen.
Other health benefits of plant based diets containing blackberries also accrue due to vitamin C abundance. Such diets help with better iron absorption in the body and also reduce free radicals in the body. What’s more, vitamin C helps prevent scurvy – a condition characterized by bleeding gums and reopening of previously healed wounds.
Blackberries can be included in nearly all kinds of diets. In their most basic form, they can be enjoyed as a snack at any time of the day. They also make wonderful desserts and are also great when included as part of a salad. Blackberries can also be a great way to start your day, as they can be included in your breakfast along with plain yogurt and nuts. If you are looking for a more sophisticated way of enjoying blackberries, you can integrate them into your favorite smoothie.
A notable benefit of plant based diets that consist of blackberries is the prevention of chronic conditions that may result from inflammation. These aggregate fruits also promote heart and skin health and also prevent conditions such as scurvy. Thanks to their great taste and high nutrition value, you can easily integrate them into your diet for your daily vitamin and mineral requirements.
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