Have you noticed that blackberries have made their way into the produce department? They used to be used mainly for food coloring and the purple dye used to stamp grades on meat.
Times are changing. Biologists at Ohio State University report studies showing a 60 to 80 percent reduction in colon tumors in lab animals fed a lot of blackberries. Other studies suggest adding berries of several kinds helps to prevent everything from cancer to heart disease and age-related brain decline.
Berries have always been known as good sources of vitamin C, and more recently we have learned that they have potassium, fiber, and folate. Now their plentiful antioxidants are making news.
When Tufts University scientists measured antioxidant levels of 50 fruits and vegetables, the top slots were occupied by berries. The anthocyanin pigments that tint berries red, purple, and blue are the key. The darker the berry, the better.
When it comes to brain protection, blueberries take the prize says Tufts neuroscientist James Joseph, co-author of The Color Code (Hyperion), a new book done with Ann Underwood.
In one test, blueberry-fed aging rats showed improvements rather than declines. Joseph credits the effect to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds in blueberries.
How to get berry power
It's easy to make toppings from most berries that are great on ice cream. It's easier still to put them into fruit salads. But you'll get more berries per sitting if you eat them by the handful, or put them on your cold breakfast cereal.
