Be ‘Berry’ Healthy!

Tags

acai, anti-aging, antioxidants, berries, bilberries, blueberries, camu camu, cholesterol, fibre, free radicals, goji, health, plant sterols, potassium, Vitamin C, vitamins

For many of us, this time of year is synonymous with the age-old Wimbledon tradition of strawberries and cream and while this is a tasty treat to enjoy, there are actually many other berries with huge health benefits which you could be putting in your bowl. Here, we take a look at the best of the bunch and exactly what each of them can do for your health and wellbeing.

Goji Berries

Goji berries are often called a “superfood” and have been used in Chinese medicine for over 6000 years. They’re best known for their anti-aging properties and contain enormous amounts of vitamin C, whilst remaining low in calories and low on the GI-index, meaning they release their energy slowly. They’re mostly sold as a dried fruit and are delicious eaten with cereal. Also, as a side note, one of the Pure Beauty team fed goji berries to her elderly hamster a few times a week and it lived for about a year longer than it was expected to…make of that what you will!

Acai Berries

Acai berries come from South America and are thought to be higher in antioxidants than almost any other fruit available. They have cholesterol-lowering powers and contain high levels of plant sterols which will help to keep your heart healthy. Acai berries contain around the same amount of Vitamin C as blueberries and are also rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, B3 and E. They also contain calcium, magnesium, zinc and copper.

Blueberries

Blueberries are probably the most well-known of the berries on our list. They contain high levels of fibre with relatively low sugar and calories, making them idea for someone on a low-sugar diet. They also contain high levels of antioxidants, also known as ‘cancer killing’ compounds. They’re also thought to help with recovery after exercise; In a small study of female athletes, blueberries accelerated muscle recovery after strenuous leg exercises.

Bilberries

No, this isn’t us mistyping ‘blueberries’ again, bilberries are an actual thing (although they do look similar to blueberries…). Bilberries contain chemicals called anthocyanosides with antioxidant properties, as well as the high levels of vitamin C. Antioxidants prevent, decrease and reverse damage to cells from free radicals that develop from oxidative stress, making them a great ally against the signs of ageing both internally and externally.

Camu Camu Berries

Okay, so we’d never heard of these berries before now either, but it turns out they’re a bit of a wonder-fruit. They’re widely known as one of the world’s most abundant sources of vitamin C and actually contain SIXTY times more than oranges! Because they’re pretty rare, they’re often sold powdered or in capsules so that they can be more easily transported and one teaspoon of the powder can contain almost 1160% of your daily vitamin C requirement. They also contain a number of essential amino acids (meaning our body doesn’t produce it so we need to eat food containing it) such as valine, leucine and serine, which are essential for cell growth and repair.