Blackberries offer many health benefits, including:
- full of vitamins and minerals like C, K, and manganese
- high in fiber
- may boost brain health
Sweet yet tart blackberries are a summer staple. But the benefits of these berry beauties go well beyond their yummy taste. Blackberries have impressive health benefits, too.
1. They’re packed with vitamin C
Just one cup of raw blackberries has
- heal wounds
- regenerate the skin
- battle free radicals (molecules released by toxins) in the body
- absorb iron
- shorten the common cold
- prevent scurvy
More research is needed, but some studies suggest vitamin C helps reduce the formation of cancer-causing substances in the body. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant which may also reduce oxidative stress in the body that can lead to cancer.
2. They’re high in fiber
Most people don’t get enough fiber in their diet. That’s a problem: A low-fiber diet has been linked to digestive problems like bloating, constipation, and stomach pain. And according to a
A high-fiber diet may help you:
- reduce cholesterol
- promote regular bowel movements
- control blood sugar levels by slowing the rate of sugar absorption
- lose weight by making you feel fuller longer
- provide fuel to nourish healthy gut bacteria
For such a tiny berry, blackberries are high in fiber. One cup of raw blackberries has almost
3. Great source of vitamin K
Vitamin K is the reason why you don’t bleed profusely when you cut yourself: It helps your blood clot. Vitamin K also plays a role in bone metabolism. Vitamin K deficiency may lead to bone thinning and bone fractures. It may cause easy bruising, heavy menstrual bleeding, and blood in the stool or in the urine.
Just one cup of raw blackberries provides almost
If you take blood thinners, make sure to eat a consistent amount of foods high in vitamin K like blackberries, green leafy vegetables, soybeans, and fermented dairy foods.
4. High in manganese
You don’t hear as much about manganese as other minerals, but it’s vital to healthy bone development and a healthy immune system. It also helps your body metabolize carbs, amino acids, and cholesterol. Like vitamin C, manganese plays a key role in the formation of collagen. And the enzyme that helps manganese form collagen, prolidase, also helps wounds heal properly.
Manganese may help prevent osteoporosis, manage blood sugar levels, and reduce epileptic seizures.
One cup of raw blackberries contains
You’re unlikely to get too much manganese in food amounts, though, unless you have a condition that prevents your body from eliminating excess manganese, like chronic liver disease or anemia.
5. May boost brain health
Eating berry fruits like blackberries may improve brain health and help prevent memory loss caused by aging, according to a review of research in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. The review concluded that antioxidants in berry fruits help fight free radicals and alter how brain neurons communicate. This may help reduce brain inflammation, which can lead to cognitive and motor issues common with aging.
6. Helps support oral health
According to a
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