Berries

Berries are among the healthiest foods you can eat.

They’re delicious, nutritious, and provide several impressive health benefits.

Here are good reasons to include berries in your diet.

1. Loaded with antioxidants

Berries contain antioxidants, which help keep free radicals under control. Free radicals are unstable molecules that are beneficial in small amounts but can damage your cells when their numbers get too high, causing oxidative stress.

Berries are a great source of antioxidants, such as anthocyanins, ellagic acid, and resveratrol. In addition to protecting your cells, these plant compounds may reduce disease risk.

One study showed that blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries have the highest antioxidant activity of commonly consumed fruits, next to pomegranates

In fact, several studies have confirmed that the antioxidants in berries may help reduce oxidative stress One study in healthy men found that consuming a single, 10-ounce (300-gram) portion of blueberries helped protect their DNA against free radical damage

In another study on healthy people, eating 17 ounces (500 grams) of strawberry pulp daily for 30 days decreased a pro-oxidant marker by 38%.

2. May help improve blood sugar and insulin response

Berries may improve your blood sugar and insulin levels. Test-tube and human studies suggest that they may protect your cells from high blood sugar levels, help increase insulin sensitivity, and reduce blood sugar and insulin response to high-carb Importantly, these effects appear to occur in both healthy people and those with health issues. In one study in healthy women, eating 5 ounces (150 grams) of puréed strawberries or mixed berries with bread led to a 24–26% reduction in insulin levels, compared to consuming the bread alone. Moreover, in a six-week study, obese people with insulin resistance who drank a blueberry smoothie twice per day experienced greater improvements in insulin sensitivity than those who consumed berry-free smoothies

3. High in fiber

Berries are a good source of fiber including soluble fiber. Studies show that consuming soluble fiber slows down the movement of food through your digestive tract, leading to reduced hunger and increased feelings of fullness. This may decrease your calorie intake and make weight management easier. What’s more, fiber helps reduce the number of calories you absorb from mixed meals. One study found that doubling your fiber intake could make you absorb up to 130 fewer calories per day.

In addition, the high fiber content of berries means that they’re low in digestible or net carbs, which are calculated by subtracting fiber from total carbs. Here are the carb and fiber counts for 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of berries.

•Raspberries: 11.9 grams of carbs, 6.5 of which are fiber

•Blackberries: 10.2 grams of carbs, 5.3 of which are fiber

•Strawberries: 7.7 grams of carbs, 2.0 of which are fiber

•Blueberries: 14.5 grams of carbs, 2.4 of which are fiber

Note that a typical serving size for berries is 1 cup, which converts to about 4.4–5.3 ounces (125–150 grams) depending on the type.

Because of their low net carb content, berries are a low carb food.