Berries, long touted as a “super-food,” contain many important nutrients, such as vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants, the substances that protect us against free radicals. Sci-entific evidence points out that among the array of nutrients found in berries, polyphenols (the same substances linked to cardiovascular benefits from tea, red wine, and chocolate) also may help berries protect your heart.

Polyphenols are a large clas-sification of antioxidants found abundantly in plant foods. There are two classes of polyphenol compounds in berries that are important: One is tannins, which

give berries their tart taste and have been linked to cardiovascular benefits; the second is anthocya-nins, “the compounds that give berries their bright color and act as antioxidants,” says Lynn Goldstein, RD, a dietitian at Weill Cornell Medical College. “They are believed to strengthen the immune

system, fight disease, and help prevent conditions

such as cancer.”A study pub-

lished in the Febru-ary 2011 issue of the

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition pro-

vides more evidence regard-ing the heart-healthy benefits

of berries. A total of 87,242 women from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) II, 46,672 women from the NHS I, and 23,043 men from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study participated in the study. During 14 years of follow-up, 29,018 cases of hypertension in women and 5,629 cases of hyper-tension in men were reported. Researchers found that study

participants who reported the highest intake of anthocy-anin (predominantly from blueberries and strawberries) had an eight percent reduc-tion in their risk of hypertension com-pared to those with the lowest anthocy-anin intake.

Originally published in Weill Cornell’s Women’s Nutrition Connection. For more information, call 1-800-424-7887.

Berries: A Delicious Source of Heart-Healthy Anthocyanins

Continued on p2 …

July 2011 • Volume 14 • Number 7

BERRIES AT A GLANCE

BERRIES(1 cup)

Calories Total fat (g)

Carbs (g)

Fiber (g)

Sugar (g)

Vitamin C* (mg)

Folate* (mcg)

Potassium* (mg)

Strawberries 53 0.5 13 3 8 98 40 254

Blueberries 84 0.5 22 4 15 14 9 114

Raspberries 64 0.8 15 8 5 32 26 186

Blackberries 62 0.7 14 8 7 30 36 233

*Recommended Dietary Allowances: Vitamin C - 75 mg/day for women, 90 mg/day for men; Folate - 400 mcg/day; Potassium - 3,500 mg/day

See page 2 for recipes ...

… Berries, p2

Originally published in Weill Cornell’s Women’s Nutrition Connection. For more information, call 1-800-424-7887.

Other health benefits of berries. In addition to lowering blood pres-sure, berry consumption has been linked to an increase in HDL or “good” cholesterol and a reduction in cognitive decline.

Besides polyphenols, other good nutrients in berries include vitamins A, C, and E, and folic acid, and minerals that include potassium, magnesium, zinc, iron, calcium, and selenium. Berries also contain fiber, which is known for its cancer-protective effects on the colon. In addition, berries contain no saturated fat or cholesterol, are low in calories, and they have very little sodium.

Adding more berries to your diet. “Berries can be eaten any time of the day,” advises Goldstein. “They are nutritious and low in calories.” She suggests that people eat one cup of ber-

ries every day. The frozen variet-ies are a good alternative to fresh berries, and they are sometimes less expensive and usually more con-venient. And, since frozen berries are processed immediately after harvest, their nutrient content is well preserved. However, Goldstein advises that you check the ingredi-ents list of frozen berries to ensure they do not contain added sugar.

Eating berries is a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth and your nutrition needs without adding extra sugar and fat to your diet.

WHAT YOU CAN DOLynn Goldstein, RD, provides the following tips for adding more berries to your diet:

Stir berries into plain yogurt or put them in a blender to make a smoothie.

Add berries to your cereal in the morning or cook them into your oatmeal.

Sprinkle fresh or dried berries on green salads.

Try a bowl of berries with a scoop of sorbet instead of ice cream.

Blue Hawaiian Smoothie2 c blueberries, fresh or frozen1 c pineapple, fresh or canned,

with juice (if canned, use pineapple in juice rather than in syrup)

1 c low-fat plain yogurt1 c ice

Combine all ingredients in a blender; blend until smooth.

Yield: 2 servings

Calories 203Protein (g) 8Fat (g) 2Saturated fat (g) 1Carbohydrates (g) 41Sodium (mg) 88Fiber (g) 5

Strawberry-Lime Granita½ c sugar

½ c water

1 Tbsp lime juice

2 c strawberries, fresh or frozen

2 tsp fresh mint (optional)

Combine sugar and water in a small sauce-pan; heat and stir until sugar is dissolved.

Place the sugar/water mixture, berries, lime juice, and mint (if using) in a blender; blend until smooth. If desired, strain seeds out. Pour the berry mixture into a shallow metal or glass pan and place in the freezer for 2 to 3 hours, or until it is partially frozen and slushy.

Yield: 4 servings

Calories 121Protein (g) .5Fat (g) <.5Saturated fat (g) 0Carbohydrates (g) 32Sodium (mg) 2Fiber (g) 1.5