Raspberries nurition comes from small, soft, brightly-colored fruits that are packed with enormous amounts of nutritional ingredients that provide health and dietary benefits to those who eat them.
Like many fruits, raspberries are rich in vitamins such as vitamin A, C, E, K and various B complex vitamins. Vitamin A is a vital nutrient for good eye visions. Studies have show that eating at least 3 daily servings of raspberries can lower the risk of eyesight degeneration especially in elderly people. Vitamin C is essential for boosting the immune systems and for lowering symptoms of inflamed painful joints and tissue. The B complex vitamins found in the fruit are Niacin, Riboflavin, Thiamine, B6 and Folates which assist the body in metabolizing fats, proteins and carbohydrates.
Raspberry nutrition includes minerals like iron, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, zinc, manganese, copper, potassium and sodium among others. Copper is good for red-blood cell manufacture and potassium is an important element in body fluids that helps to control blood pressure and heart beat rate. They have small amounts of carbohydrates, about 12gm per 100gm of fruit, and low levels of natural sugars – about 4 gm per 100gm of fruit - and about 50 calories per serving.
The fat level in the fruit is less than 1 gram. The trace mineral manganese helps to support a high metabolic rate which makes the body burn more fat. This makes raspberries ideal food items for people on a diet or careful about their calorie intake. Their low sugar levels also means they are good fruit for people with diabetes.
Raspberries contain a lot of dietary fibre, almost 20% by weight, with 100 grams of the fruit contain about 8 grams of fibre. So they are very good for maintain healthy functioning of the digestive system and for slowing down food digestion, which also helps to keep you feeling full for longer.
Salicylic acid is another nutrition benefit and it prevents arthrosclerosis – hardening of the arteries – and reduces the risk of high cholesterol levels. A good amount of anti-oxidants are found in these fruit. Anti-oxidants work to counter the harmful effects of free radicals in the body that are associated with cell damage, tumors, cancerous cells and other ailments. Studies have shown that the anti-oxidants in these fruit are almost 50% higher than in strawberries. Additionally, the vitamin A, C, E and manganese have been shown to act as anti-oxidants in the body.
Raspberry nutrition extends to other lesser known substances such as quercetin. This nutrient has anti-histamine properties that reduce the symptoms of allergic reactions. Quercetin has also been identified as an antioxidant. Another compound is anthocyanins which is known to slow down signs of aging and to protect against heart disease. They also contain flavanoids that have been show to reduce the growth of certain harmful fungi and bacteria.
The richness of raspberry nutrition can vary somewhat depending on whether they are eaten fresh, frozen or dried. The fresh fruits, of course, have the most nutrients. They can be eaten whole or mixed into cereals and salads. Additionally, they’re popular ingredients for pies, pastries, milkshakes and frozen yogurts.