What could be better than a delicious fruit that is also a cancer-fighting food? Raspberries are an antioxidant food that contains some special compounds called “ellagitannins.” This family of compounds, which are almost exclusive to the raspberry, is reported to have anti-cancer activity.
In recent health news, a study performed at the Ohio State University has found that raspberry extract could inhibit cervical cancer growth.
Cervical cancer is the second most common female cancer worldwide. It is a challenge for doctors to treat this type of cancer. Because of this, the researchers at Ohio University set out to investigate food-based cancer preventative measures — specifically, the raspberry. Three human cervical cancer cell lines were treated with a black raspberry extract for the clinical trial. Various tests were used to measure changes to the cells.
The researchers found that the raspberry extract significantly inhibited the growth of human cervical cancer cells. The extract also induced cell death in all the cancer cell lines. They concluded that black raspberries and their bioactive components are a promising alternative remedy for cancer prevention.
In addition to their unique phytonutrient content, raspberries are filled with beneficial nutrients. They are an excellent source of manganese and vitamin C. These two critical antioxidant nutrients help protect your body’s tissue from oxygen-related damage. Raspberries are also a good source of riboflavin, folate, niacin, magnesium, potassium and copper.
But the boost to your nutritional health doesn’t stop there. The berries have a strong B vitamin and mineral content, and are an excellent source of dietary fiber. The combination of nutrients in raspberries makes them a great choice when it comes to minimizing the impact on blood sugar levels, too.
There are many delicious ways to add raspberries to your weekly diet. One bit of health advice: freezing and storing raspberries doesn’t seem to affect their antioxidant activity.