The Benefits of Berries

By Sarabeth Lowe, MPH

Ms. Lowe is a Communication Specialist at the University of Delaware Disaster Research Center.

Whether they are baked into a pie, sprinkled on top of oatmeal, or eaten by the bucket, berries are some of the most versatile foods on the planet. Hundreds of edible berry species exist across the world, and their unique texture, tart flavor, and bright colors have made them a cultural and culinary staple for thousands of years.^1,2 In the last 2 decades, the popularity of and attention toward these fruits has increased as research continues to shed light on their health benefits.³ As summer approaches, marking peak berry season, here’s what you need to know.

What Is a Berry?

What do pumpkins, bananas, and pomegranates all have in common? It might surprise you that these are all berries and that some of the tried-and-true iconic names are not.^4–7 The scientific and colloquial definitions of this fruit are not the same. The botanical definition is much more precise and based on how a plant’s flower and adjoining parts develop into fruit—not on its taste or appearance.⁶ “True berries” are simple fleshy fruits that stem from 1 flower with 1 ovary and typically have several seeds inside of them. Strawberries and raspberries aren’t true berries because they are derived from a single flower with more than 1 ovary.⁵ In this article, “berries” refers to small, soft, and colored fruits that are typically associated with the term.

Berries by the Numbers: Nutrition at a Glance

Berries pack a big punch when it comes to their nutritional value, making them one of the healthiest foods on the market. They are top sources of vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients, including potassium, magnesium, vita­mins C and K, and fiber.^8–14 At the same time, they are relatively low in calories, carbohydrates, and natural sugars (Table 1).

Health Benefits: Antioxidants

Berries are nutritional powerhouses, but their main claim to fame is their antioxidant content.^12,14–16 The antioxidant capacity of berries is 4 times higher than that of other fruits and 10 times higher than that of vegetables.¹⁴ In fact, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries have some of the highest antioxidant activity of commonly consumed fruits.¹⁴ This might be due to the presence of anthocyanins, which confer the blue, purple, and red colors of many fruits.^14,15,17 Anthocyanins are known to be one of the most powerful natural antioxidants, and berries are one of the richest sources of them among all fruits.^17–19

Why is this so important? Antioxidants help your body fight off free radicals, unstable molecules in the body. Free radicals play an important and essential role in human health, but can damage your cells at high levels.^15,20–23 When free radicals outnumber antioxidants, it can lead to oxidative stress, which causes damage to deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), cells, and tissues. This imbalance can lead to a range of negative health outcomes and chronic conditions, including cancer, stroke, degenerative disorders, and metabolic and cardiovascular disease.^11,23 It can also lead to chronic inflammation, another condition that has been linked to numerous negative health outcomes, and early signs of aging.^17,22

Shopping and Storage

Though berries can be bought year-round in many supermarkets, the season starts in the spring and peaks in the summer.²⁴ However, berries are highly perishable—and expensive. When selecting berries at the grocery store, aim to purchase a container with ones that are firm, plump, and free of discoloration. To fully reap the health benefits of berries, the most important step is washing them, as research shows they are at high risk of contamination from pesticides and disease-causing microorganisms during their journey from farm to fork.^25,26

Each year, the Environmental Working Group, an environmental advocacy organization, publishes an annual list of fruits and vegetables and ranks them as the most and least “pesticide-contaminated” produce commodities sold in the United States.^25–27 In this year’s “Dirty Dozen,” which analyzed 47 types of produce, strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries top the list as the third, ninth, and twelfth most contaminated items, respectively.²⁸ Notably, some food safety scientists and industry experts have scrutinized this list due to apparent gaps in its ranking methodology and unfairly demonizing certain types of produce. Still, the point stands: carefully and thoroughly wash berries before eating them.

Locally grown berries are typically the freshest, so now is the time to dig in! If you’re looking to get outside this summer, berry picking can be a fun, family-friendly activity. Just be sure to do so safely, especially if you choose to forage in the wild. Adhere to any local regulations, avoid harvesting in polluted areas, and brush up on your plant identification skills or consult an expert to make sure the berries are safe and nontoxic; never consume berries that you have not identified as safe to eat with 100% certainty.^1,29–32

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