The raspberry is pretty well-known across the world.  They are grown for local grocery stores and fresh food markets as well as for processing for frozen fruit, dried, pureed fruit and juice.

Because raspberries need an ample amount of sun and water to develop, they are usually a mid-summer crop, depending on where you are located in the world. 

In addition to their great taste and fun texture, raspberries as with all antioxidant fruits, have numerous health benefits.

• Polyphenol antioxidants
• Anthocyanin pigments
• Dietary fiber
• Vitamic C
• Manganese
• Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
• Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
• Folic Acid
• Magnesium
• Potassium
• Omega 3 Fatty Acids
• Copper
• Iron

Because of their deeper color, raspberries are near the top when compared to other fruits based on their antioxidants when it comes to their dense amounts of ellagic acid, quercetin, gallic acid, anthocyanins, cyanidins, pelargonidins, catechins, kaempferol and salicyclic. 

Raspberries have an ORAC Value of about 4900 per 100 grams, which falls under blueberries (they’re 9000 ORAC units) and above apples at 2800.

The health benefits that some have experienced with raspberries are listed below.  Please be aware that this isn’t proof that they work, but that they are known to help.

• Reduces Inflamation
• Helps to Eliminate Age-Related Cognitvie Decline
• Prevents Cardiovascular Disease
• Reduces Allergies
• Helps to Prevent Degeneration of Eye Sight with Aging
• Reduces Pain
• Prevents Cancer

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raspberry

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Columbia Phyto Technology and Kerry Ringer, a Washington State University assistant professor, recently published the results of their study in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry. 

The team looked into preserving the health-promoting compounds in dried blueberry powder.  The reason for the interest in the study was because of consumers needs for highly nutritious foods as well as concerns about costs.  Also, because blueberries are a seasonal crop they end up having a short life as a fresh product.  Because of their popularity, they end up being frozen or processed.  However, keeping food frozen can end up being a financial burden on the industry as well as the consumer. 

The technology was the radiant zone dryer.  It ended up preserving as many antioxidants and anthocyanins as their liquid counterparts.  Ringer noted, “We focused our study on drying of blueberry puree, blueberry juice and blueberry extract supplied by Washington fruit processing companies.”

This is excellent news because dried blueberry powder allows for minimal degradation of anthocyanins and therefore makes the preservation of blueberries more cost effective. 

Ringer added, “This project demonstrated the development of value-added products that potentially bolster profit margins and the types and numbers of jobs in agriculture.”

Source: http://mobile.westernfarmerstockman.com/index.aspx?ascxid=cmsNewsStory&rmid=0&rascxid=&args=&rargs=9&dt=633982152662968750&lid=a8yebu2d9qxnz7lo&adms=633982152661250000X3bf6e7e6e4&cmsSid=34358&cmsScid=9

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The cherry is one of the few antioxidant fruits that have the right combination of health and taste. It is very tasty and extremely healthy; it is a fruit for people of all ages. Regular consumption of cherries can have an amazingly positive impact on your health. Here are some of the health benefits:

• They are rich in quercetin, a flavonoid which has anti-carcinogenic properties, and can help prevent heart diseases to a great extent.
• They are a rich source of anthocyanins – a type of plant phytochemicals which have great anti inflammatory and antioxidant properties. If you are suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, muscle pain, or gout, eating cherries will help you immensely. The anthocyanins found in cherries are very potent and can relieve inflammation to a great extent. In fact, it has been found out that the medicinal value of 20 cherries is nearly ten times as potent as aspirin.
• Amygdalin, a phenolic acid found in them, can help prevent cancer. When taken regularly, it can also reduce the size of tumors and can prevent cancer from spreading further. It can also reduce the risk of colon cancer and breast cancer to a significant extent.
• They contain boron which is good for the bones.
• They are rich in vitamin C. So, a regular intake of cherries can help boost your immune system.
• They are very low in fat and sodium and high in potassium. They also have a significant percentage of water. In other words, it is the ultimate weight loss fruit. Studies show that consuming fruits with high water content will help improve your metabolism and in turn help lose weight.
• Its juice is a wonderful antioxidant fruit drink. Drinking some of its juice before and after an intensive workout will help alleviate muscle pain.
• Cherries contain melatonin which is a very powerful antioxidant. It helps neutralize the free radicals which do a lot of damage to your body.
• Cherries are rich in magnesium, iron, folate, and fiber. A few spoonfuls of its juice concentrate or a serving of fresh or frozen cherries every day can improve your health amazingly well.

In general, it is good to consume fresh cherries rather than cherry flavored fruit juices. Also, you should know that when it comes to cherries, the darker the color, the higher the amount of antioxidants. So, eat cherries every day and stay healthy. Be sure to check out Antioxidant-fruits.com’s fresh cherry recipes as well.
Read and learn more about cherries, by visiting these pages on antioxidant-fruits.com!:

• Acerola
• Antioxidants in Tart Cherries
• Fresh Cherry Recipes
• Health Benefits of
• Types

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