Blackberries are a tasty late summer/ early autumn treat, but are they actually good for you? We’ll take a look at blackberries nutrition facts to see what benefits we can get from these berries.
Before we look at the berry, let’s look at the bush. Blackberries, like raspberries, are an aggregate fruit and relative of the rose. They are hardy, fast growing shrubs that are fairly easy to grow. Its thorn also helps protect the bush from wild animals eating the berries.
Blackberries can be found in many countries around the world but are especially common in Great Britain. In fact, English school children were sent to collect blackberries during World War One to make jam for the soldiers on the front line. That’s because blackberries are inexpensively grown and good for you. Here’s a look at blackberries nutrition facts.
Blackberries Nutrition Facts
Looking at 1 cup of blackberries (144g serving size), you can immediately see many benefits from blackberries. Blackberries are a good source of vitamin E, folate, magnesium, potassium, and copper. They’re also an excellent source of dietary fibre, vitamin C, vitamin K, and manganese.
Blackberries also have 7g of sugar per cup, which is fairly low for a fruit. They are a good choice to add to a post workout shake because of the high fibre and nutrient levels. The fibre in the berries will help keep your digestive track moving. You should be having two good bowel movements a day. The longer food stays in your body, the more time it has to putrefy and cause inflammation.
Vitamin C is another main nutrient found in blackberries. This nutrient plays an important part in your overall health, working as an antioxidant and boosting your immune system.
Blackberries nutrition facts don’t highlight all of the antioxidants these berries contain. Blackberries contain a host of phenolic acids and flavonoids. Blackberries score a 5,300 on the ORAC (oxygen radical absorption capacity) scale. The scale is based on a 100g, so one cup would have an even higher value of antioxidants. These antioxidants neutralise the oxidative stress that causes cells to die or mutate into cancer cells.
The darker the berry, the better for your heart? Dark berries have high levels of cyaniding, which is an anthocyanin (an antioxidant pigment) that gives the berry its colour. Anthocyanins may reduce your risk of heart disease. More research still needs to be done on the topic, but a study in 2011 found promising benefits from these dark berries.
Fresh local blackberries are going to have the most flavour and are the best for you. If you know of any blackberry brambles near you, go out and pick them yourself. Avoid picking berries near roads where the berries are more likely to come in contact with chemicals. If you can’t grow blackberries in your own yard, or if you aren’t able to make it out to the woods for picking wild blackberries, then local farmers markets are your best option.
Blackberries don’t last long so freeze any berries you won’t be eating in the next 48 hours. Blackberries are easy to freeze. Just rinse in cold water and seal them in a ziplock bag and you’re good to go.
