What's the Benefit of Berries in Bloom?

These days, berries are ripe for the picking, as the love affair with these colorful little treats has moved beyond simple picked-fruit consumption and into a variety of products from foods to beverages, and even supplements. Aesthetic and flavor appeal has always been there, but an increasing crop of research results suggesting powerful health benefits for various berries and berry-base ingredients is driving new applications for these wonderful little fruits.

After taste and visual appeal, antioxidant content is a huge driver for berry products. “Consumers seem to understand the importance of dark-pigmented fruits and berries’ abundance in antioxidants, polyphenols and flavonoids,” said Matt Phillips, president of Cyvex Nutrition. “The recent Welch’s and Ocean Spray TV campaigns seek to educate general consumers on these benefits, with similar messaging included on an increasing number of products available at mass-market grocers.”

Among the flavonoids in berries is a group of compounds called anthocyanins, which provide the fruits with their vibrant, rich blue, red or purple colors. Dimitri Papadimitriou, Ph.D., Arevno Consulting, who has conducted and reviewed research on various berries, noted anthocyanins may work on their own or synergistically with other flavonoids and phytochemicals to address oxidative factors throughout the body. This includes oxidation in the brain, eyes and cardiovascular system, in addition to targeting general oxidative stress.

One of the first berries that come to mind is the blueberry—the longtime baked goods and breakfast food staple. Tom Payne, industry specialist for the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council confirmed antioxidant content is the main driver in the blueberry market, according to results of the council’s consumer research in four regions of the country showing consumers identify blueberries with antioxidants and believe blueberries to be healthy. “They see blueberries on virtually every list of superfruits,” he noted. “This is an advantage for food designers when they add blueberries to their products and/or feature them on labels.”

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