Berries are among the healthiest foods you can eat

Berries are among the top sources of vitamins, minerals, and disease-fighting nutrients, and they can help reduce the risk of many age-related conditions, according to experts.

“On average, people who eat more berries seem to live a little bit longer,” said Eric Rimm, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, in an August 2, 2021, Washington Post article. He suggested eating a cup of fresh berries a day when they’re in season to reap the health benefits.

The article noted that berries provide potassium, magnesium, vitamins C and K, fiber, and prebiotics—carbohydrates that help promote a healthy gut. Studies co-authored by Harvard Chan School researchers have found that eating blueberries can lower the risk of Type 2 diabetes; that eating foods high in anthocyanins (mostly blueberries and strawberries) can help people keep weight off; and that berry consumption can reduce the risk of heart attack and boost learning and memory.

Frozen berries provide the same health benefits as fresh, according to Rimm.

Read the Washington Post article: Why fresh berries are the most healthy, age-fighting foods around