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If given the choice, I\u2019d pick a berry over almost any other kind of fruit. Blueberries, strawberries, blackberries\u2014bring them on. So it was an easy yes when I was asked to eat raspberries every day for a week. They\u2019re tasty, versatile, and loaded with lots of nutritional benefits.<\/p>\n
Raspberry health benefits<\/p>\n
Berries are a perfect example of good things coming in small packages. For starters, raspberries are some of the best sources of dietary fiber, with 8 grams per cup<\/a> of fresh fruit.<\/p>\n \u201cFiber promotes a healthy gut microbiome, helping feed beneficial gut bacteria and stimulating anti-inflammatory processes,\u201d says Avery Zenker<\/a>, R.D., M.A.N., a registered dietitian at My Crohn\u2019s and Colitis Team. \u201cOne cup of raspberries can provide 20 to 38% of the daily fiber recommendation. Adding a cup of raspberries to the day would bring the average adult significantly closer to their daily fiber target.\u201d<\/p>\n Raspberries are basically a multivitamin all by themselves, as they contain a slew of important nutrients<\/a>: vitamin C, vitamin K, iron, magnesium, potassium, and calcium.<\/p>\n They\u2019re also full of powerful polyphenols<\/a>, particularly ellagitannins and anthocyanins, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Anthocyanins have protective benefits for the heart, too. Research has found they can help lower levels of \u201cbad\u201d LDL cholesterol<\/a>.<\/p>\n On top of that, these polyphenols also contribute to a healthy gut microbiome. \u201cPolyphenols found in raspberries<\/a> could encourage growth of beneficial gut bacteria and inhibit the growth of specific bacteria that may play a role with inflammation in the brain,\u201d says Amanda Sauceda<\/a>, M.S., R.D., a registered dietitian who specializes in gut health. \u201cIn fact, it\u2019s thought that the polyphenols more than the fiber<\/a> are why raspberries encourage good gut bacteria and have a prebiotic effect.\u201d<\/p>\n What\u2019s more, raspberries don\u2019t contain a lot of natural sugar (only about 5 grams<\/a> per cup), so they\u2019re considered a low-glycemic food. For comparison\u2019s sake, a cup of sliced banana<\/a> has about 18 grams of natural sugar and a cup of sliced apple<\/a> contains about 13 grams. The anthocyanins come into play here, too. Some laboratory studies have found that anthocyanins<\/a> increase insulin secretion and influence genes responsible for GLP-1, Sauceda says.<\/p>\n \u201cThe high fiber combined with low carbohydrate and sugar content make raspberries a great choice for supporting healthy blood sugar, especially for those with insulin resistance such as type 2 diabetes,\u201d adds Zenker.<\/p>\n What happened when I ate raspberries every day<\/p>\n To kick off Raspberry Week, I went straight to the supermarket to stock up on fresh ones. Berries (especially organic ones) are notoriously pricey, so I was thankful my store happened to be having a sale on berries that day. That meant I spent \u201conly\u201d $22 on my raspberry haul. When I got home, I gently dumped all of them into a large bowl of water with a splash of vinegar to soak, then rinsed them several more times. After that, they went straight into my OXO Good Grips GreenSaver Produce Keeper,<\/a> which I swear does actually keep berries fresher for longer. They stayed in good shape the whole week.<\/p>\n On that first day, I ate raspberries in the simplest way: raw, all by themselves. I measured a one-cup serving and snacked on them as I cooked dinner. I couldn\u2019t finish the entire cup, to be honest. They filled me up pretty quickly. Even though I was hungry before I\u2019d started cooking, I was too full to finish my dinner.<\/p>\n