Raspberries

This article is part of a larger article titled "100+ Healthiest Foods On Planet Earth."  Read it here.

Raspberries is a term to describe the edible fruit of a number of species in the rose family. A fantastic summer fruit, raspberries are somewhat expensive because they are difficult to pick, but pack enough of a punch in terms of flavour to make up for it. Eaten fresh, pureed, juiced or dried; in ice cream, fruit pies, salads, soufflés or snacks, the raspberry is a succulent and sweet addition to any dish, with a delicate flavour of its own. The raspberry is not only sweet tasting and nutritious, it also has positive effects on obesity, cancer, and antioxidant effects, so get picking!

Nutritionally, raspberries benefit from being fantastically low calorie, given their sweetness. 100g will give you 53 calories, but for that you get 24% of your Daily Value (DV) of dietary fibre, plus 43% DV of vitamin C, and 5% DV of both vitamin B6 and magnesium. Fibre is essential for the maintenance of a healthy digestive system, and vitamin C and magnesium will really assist you in maintaining your cardiovascular health (more on that below), so raspberries are a great low calorie bargain to strike!

In terms of health benefits, they are really twofold: the reduction of obesity and blood sugar levels, and the cancer fighting benefits linked to the great antioxidant potential of raspberries. Two compounds in raspberries have an anti-obesity effect: raspberry ketone (also known as rheosmin), has been proven to prevent and improve both obesity and fatty liver disease.

Although the mechanism is still being speculated upon, this is a huge deal considering the health problems plaguing Western society: all the more impressive for a food high in simple sugars! The other important compound is called tiliroside, which has been shown to ameliorate the effects of obesity, such as high blood sugar, blood fats, and blood insulin, and hopefully help to prevent diabetes

Beyond this, there is a great deal of research into the antioxidant and cancer fighting potential of raspberries. They contain a huge amount of antioxidants, which may go some way to explaining the broad spectrum anti-cancer properties attribute to them, in particular the inhibition of tumour development. Specific cancers that raspberries have a proven track record which include esophageol cancer and cervical cancer, demonstrating that they have a broad range of health applications that are yet to be researched.