Berries are a class of fruit that has an array of benefits for women, helping them meet life’s demands. We looked at blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries. All berries are healthy. The berry best berries for you are the ones you like to eat.
Eating the best berries
We buy fresh berries in season at our grocery store or farmers’ market. We aim to eat them before they go bad, and if we can’t, we clean and freeze them to use later.
Fresh berries are perishable, so we recommend rinsing them immediately before consuming. If you rinse them too far in advance, they can get mushy.
There may be more nutritious options than fresh fruit. Frozen berries can be convenient for you if your schedule is unpredictable. Sometimes fresh may be bought with good intentions, but your week may run away from you, causing you to forget the fruit, allowing it to spoil. Frozen will keep for an extended time.
The supermarket offers bags of plain frozen berries and berry blends that are easy to thaw and serve. Frozen berries can be blended without thawing for a cooling treat.
Eating berries every day
You can eat berries every day! Here are some of our favorite ways.
- Add berries to a fruit smoothie
- Enjoy a blend of berries in a bowl
- Top hot or cold cereal with berries
- Sprinkle berries on top of ice cream
- Dip berries in dark chocolate sauce
- Incorporate berries in a fruit medley
- Include berries in homemade muffins
- Delight in berries and whipped topping
- Add your favorite berries to a fruit skewer
- Savor the tangy, sweet flavor of berries in yogurt
- Warm frozen berries and place on top of waffles
- Place berries on a bed of spinach or romaine leaves
- Top your pancakes or French toast with a scoop of berries
- Put strawberries on a slice of angel food cake and whipped cream
You can see from this list of ways that we eat berries, we seldom need to freeze them.
Berries nutrition facts you should know
Besides tasting great, berries give us many advantages. Berries support us nutritionally with many nutrients such as vitamin C, iron, magnesium, potassium, and polyphenols.
The four berries we studied are shown in the infographic above. We compared one-cup servings of fresh berries, and they range from 53 to 86 calories. They are not a good source of protein.
Berries contain energy-boosting, fiber-filled carbs and vary from 3 to 10 grams of fiber per serving. Sugar occurs naturally in berries, but they have no added sugar.
How much sugar is in berries?
Of the four berries we researched, blueberries have the most naturally occurring sugar at 15 grams per cup. However, this sugar has not been added. In addition, the other nutrients in berries contribute far too many benefits and outweigh any concerns from the sugars present.
Also, if you have been told to decrease your sugar intake, the sugar to be concerned with is added sugars, not the naturally occurring sugar found in berries or any other fruit.
A few nutrition points to note are that strawberries contain 8 grams of sugar per cup, and both raspberries and blackberries provide 7 grams. But remember, none of the sugar has been added, so, they are good for you.
Added sugars are found in some packaged foods and beverages. They contribute calories but have no nutritional value for you.
The fiber in berries
Women experience some common conditions such as constipation, loss of muscle mass, bone loss, weight gain, insulin resistance, heart problems, and decreased ability to move.
Include berries in your eating pattern to get the energy, nutrients, and health-supporting substances (including fiber) to support the prevention or management of these conditions.
Regularly enjoying them will help you get the fiber you need which may range from 20-35 grams a day depending on your calorie intake. The best fiber is found in fruit (including berries), whole grains, and veggies.
Do berries have vitamin C?
Strawberries are rich in vitamin C. One cup of these red beauties gives you more than 100% of the RDA (recommended dietary allowance). Blackberries and raspberries are also both significant contributors of vitamin C, boasting 42% and 52% of the RDA, respectively.
Do berries have iron?
Blackberries and raspberries contribute vitamin C, and they also provide one milligram of iron which is 13% of the RDA for women 51 and over.
If you have been told you need to up your iron-rich foods, eating foods that contain iron along with vitamin C rich foods helps you absorb more iron from your food.
Do berries have magnesium?
Blackberries and raspberries contribute significant amounts of magnesium at 9% and 10% of the RDA for women, respectively.
Do berries have potassium?
All berries are good sources of potassium, but the one we studied with the most per cup is blackberries at 243 mg. Potassium is necessary and protective, but women struggle getting enough of this nutrient. Eating berries along with other plant foods will help you get what you need.
There isn’t an RDA for potassium, rather, there is an AI (adequate intake) level offered for this nutrient which is set at 2600 mg for women 51 and older. One cup of fresh blackberries provides 9% of the AI.
Polyphenols in berries
Berries are rich in polyphenols, but what are polyphenols?
Polyphenols are a class of phytochemicals (chemicals found in plants) that include flavonoids (anthocyanins, flavonols, flavones, flavanols, flavanones, and isoflavonoids), phenolic acids, and tannins.
Is this confusing? Yes! The good news is that you don’t need to remember any of these scientific names.
What’s important is knowing that berries are good for you because they contain health-promoting phytochemicals. If you like berries, be sure to include them in your eating pattern often.
Berry rich in antioxidants
Berries have vitamin C and polyphenols, making them antioxidant rich. Berries lower inflammation and may help with joint pain.
Do berries taste good?
Berries are plump, sweet, delicious, hydrating, and satisfying. The textures of each berry vary, so you have choices if you don’t care for one’s texture.
Conclusion
Berries help women get quality nutrition to meet life’s demands. They contain fiber, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, and polyphenols. A couple contribute significant amounts of iron, too! They have zero grams of added sugar.
These plump, sweet, gems of our food supply help hydrate and satisfy you, giving you energy to tackle your day. You can eat berries every day by adding to a fruit smoothie, salad, or with a snack. You can even put a few on top of your waffle for breakfast.
If you enjoyed reading about the advantages of berries, be sure to check out our *free* course, 5 Staples for Quick Meals to Keep Your Bones Strong.
Stephanie Turkel is a registered dietitian nutritionist based in Texas. She has 30 plus years of experience in the nutrition field. She now takes her gained knowledge and shares it with you to explain science articles into easy-to-understand information.
Grace Rivers, RDN, CDCES
Grace is a registered dietitian nutritionist residing in Texas. She has over 30 years of experience in nutrition. Grace loves translating science articles into easy-to-understand information for you.