Raspberries are one of the most widely consumed fruits in the world because of their sweet taste and rich color. You won’t just feel good eating them but also get a lot of healthy nutrients for the body. Raspberries belong to a multitude of plant species in the Genus Rubus of the rose family. They are rich in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and contain a high concentration of ellagic acid that helps prevent cancer.
ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) is a method for measuring the antioxidant content of various food items, according to which, raspberry has one of the highest ORAC values i.e. one cup of raspberries has an ORAC value: 6058 µmol per 100 grams.
Because of such healthy properties and a number of nutrients available in raspberries, they deserve a solid spot in your diet.
In this article, we will get to know about all the information regarding raspberries such as their health skincare benefits. Before we go any further, let’s start with a little history of the fruit.
History
Raspberries have a long history and their presence dates back to prehistoric times. It is believed that wild raspberries first originated in Asia, but some of its varieties were also originated in the USA. During the ancient times when travelers or animals crossed or migrated to the south of the Arctic Circle, they likely carried the raspberry seeds with them.
In prehistoric times, hunter-gatherers traveled a long distance to collect food and on their way back home, they threw away many small-sized raspberries which served to expand and grow the species. The cultivation of raspberries started to take place in the 19th century in Europe and North America. Some hybrid varieties of raspberries such as loganberry and boysenberry were also develop either by chance or by intentional crossbreeding.
In this day and age, the leading producers of raspberries include Germany, Poland, Russia, Chile, Yugoslavia, and the United States of America.
There are about 200 various varieties of raspberries but the most common ones are red and black ones. The red raspberries are believed to have brought to North America by hunter-gatherers in the prehistoric time while the black ones are native to the West.
Important figures such as King Edward (First) of England and George Washington (who was known to have cultivated raspberries at the Mount Vernon) were the big encouragers of cultivation of raspberries. Let’s have a look at its nutritional value:
Nutrition Facts
One cup of raspberries (123g) contains:
- 52 Calories
- 0.7g Total Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 1mg Sodium
- 12g Total Carbohydrates
- 7g Dietary Fiber
- 4g Sugar
- 1g Protein
- 44% Vitamin C
- 3% Calcium
- 4% Iron
- 27.1g Magnesium
- 0.5g Zinc
- 105g Water
Uses of Raspberries
- Mix a handful of fresh raspberries in with whole grain millet porridge and make yourself a nutritious breakfast
- Cut some fresh raspberries and sprinkle them on your favorite sweet dish for a health boost
- Put some berries in a bowl with a pinch of walnut and pecan as toppings
- Add raspberries in salad and cereals to enhance their flavor.
- Make yourself a healthy morning smoothie by mixing frozen raspberries with skimmed milk and bananas
- Take advantage of skincare products based on Raspberry extracts
Benefits for Health
Prevent Macular Generation
Macular generation is an age-related disease that mostly occurs in elderly people. It affects your vision and can lead to a loss vision in the midfield due to damage to the retina. The damage can occur both in dry and wet forms. You can have about three servings of raspberries per day as a remedy to prevent macular generation.
Add raspberries to your morning cereal, smoothie or lunchtime yogurt to enhance the taste and enjoy its health benefits.
Aids In Reducing Weight
Raspberries are widely used in many weight-loss supplements as they are a rich source of fiber and manganese. Fiber slows down the digestive process and confuses your brain that you are full while the manganese keeps your metabolic rate high causing the body fat to burn much faster.
If you are looking for a natural way of cutting some extra pounds off your body then it is recommended that you start consuming raspberries regularly along with a healthy diet.
Promote Feminine Health
Raspberries are a good source of healthy nutrients for all but they are extremely important for women especially pregnant women and lactating mothers. Not just the fruit itself but the leaves of this fruit also help in a lot of things. Consuming a cup of herbal raspberry leaf tea can regulate and decrease excessively heavy menstrual cycles.
For pregnant women, raspberry helps in childbirth, relieving nausea, preventing hemorrhaging, and reducing pain. Lactating mothers can either drink a cup of herbal raspberry tea or have the fruit in raw form to increase the production of breast milk.
Boosts Mental Health and Mood
Consuming a handful of raspberries regularly can help boost mental health and mood because of the flavonoids present in them. The antioxidants present in the raspberries stave off disease and other old-age problems by reducing mental stress.
The combination of anthocyanin and quercetin in raspberries also helps in preventing age-related memory loss.
Strengthen The Immune System
If you have a weak immune system that doesn’t provide enough resistance to infections and toxins then you can use the benefits of antioxidants and phytonutrients present in raspberries that reinforce your immune system and help your body combat diseases.
Vitamin C (available in raspberries in an abundant amount) also helps in increasing general immunity to rare infections and everyday illness.
Fights Cancerous Properties
Cancer cells can be developed or reproduced because of oxidative stress and inflammation in the body and consuming raspberries which are rich with phytonutrients can play an important role in lowering inflammation and oxidative stress. Raspberries pack an abundant amount of cancer-fighting antioxidants. They contain one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants than any fruit in the world (almost 10x as much as tomatoes).
Benefits for Skin
Raspberries are a rich source of Vitamin C oxidant and many other nutrients that stop free radicals from destroying the skin cells and act as a shield for many skin diseases.
Here are the benefits of raspberries on the skin:
Anti-aging
Antioxidants, vitamins, fatty acids, and many other nutrients in raspberries can work wonders with your skin and fight visible signs of aging such as fine lines, wrinkles, and dark circles. Age spots and discoloration of color can also be reduced by regular consumption of raspberries or applying Red Raspberry Seed Oil which can be used as a facial moisturizer or a serum to make your skin look healthy and fresh.
You can also try a home remedy to rejuvenate your skin: Take two cups of raspberries and blend them with a cup of yogurt. After blending, apply the mixture as a facial mask on your skin, then keep it on for at least 15-20 minutes and wash it off with tepid water for refreshing results.
Help Combat Eczema
Raspberries especially Red Raspberry Seed Oil can treat skin condition like eczema because of their anti-inflammatory properties. Raspberries are usually added to herbal antibacterial preparations to treat similar ailments.
Side Effects of Raspberries
Raspberry is a great fruit that is a rich source of healthy nutrients and many antioxidant/anti-inflammatory properties. Eating raspberries in normal amount is likely safe for most people and even safe too if consumed in large amounts as medicine but it should be kept in mind that excess of everything is bad.
Here are some problems that you might face if:
- You have hormone-sensitive conditions such as uterine cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine fibroids, or endometriosis then don’t use red raspberries as they might act like estrogen and make the condition even worse.
- You have trouble digesting or absorbing fructose then you shouldn’t eat too many raspberries as they may cause digestive problems like diarrhea or abdominal pain. If you already suffer from diarrhea then it is recommended that you stay away from eating raspberries as they can worsen your diarrhea or may even cause it to last longer.
Conclusion
Raspberries provide an amazing taste to your taste buds and a number of benefits to your health and skin. You can either consume raspberries in raw form, smoothie or whatever you like the most. All the raspberry products mentioned in the article are picked by considering different health and skin problems. Using all-natural products is much better than wasting your time and effort using chemical products that can cause many health and skin problems.