Blackberry Nutrition Facts & Health Benefits

Health Benefits of Blackberries

Blackberries are a soft and delicate fruit which grows on thorny bushes or trailing vines. Technically, the blackberry is a drupelet, or a cluster of fruits, like a bunch of grapes, and the seed inside each drupelet contributes to the berry’s nutrient value.

Studies show blackberries have one of the highest antioxidant contents per serving of any food tested. In a 2006 study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, scientists indicated that blackberries’ antioxidant content of 5.75 millimoles per serving was far above that of other foods. This means that regular consumption of blackberries may have a positive impact on health, athletic performance and disease risk.

Anthocyanins, or the “flashy flavonoid,” give blackberries their glossy, dark color, and it’s this powerful phytonutrient that’s been shown to protect the brain from oxidative stress and may even reduce the effects of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Blackberries have also been shown to have beneficial health effects in the fight against cancers of the GI tract, like colon cancer.