Gardening for Health

Boost Your Health with Berries 

By Maria Price 

What a terrific berry season we’re having this year. With all the frequent rain we’ve had from spring to early summer, berries have grown beautifully. Strawberries, raspberries, black raspberries, blackberries and blueberries have all borne great amounts of fruit. Depending on the varieties you have you can harvest all of these together at this time. If you don’t have berry bushes, put some in for next year. 

The ancient Romans believed strawberries could cure everything from loose teeth to gastritis. Berries are actually better than that. New research has shown that they contain phytochemicals and antioxidants that work together to help prevent various diseases and inflammation.  

Berries contain ellagic acid. Strawberries and blackberries have the most. Ellagic acid is a phytochemical that may reduce damage caused by free radicals, harmful oxygen molecules that can punch holes in healthy cells and may play a role in cancer development. Pterostilbene, resveratrol and flavonoids contained in berries appear to work together to stimulate self-destruction of mouth, breast, colon and prostate cancer cells. In animal studies, these compounds have shown a decrease in inflammatory cytokines, esophageal cancer and precancerous changes in the colon. Animal studies have also shown a decrease in estrogen-induced breast cancer and DNA damage, and an increase in self-destruction of lung, stomach, pancreatic and breast cancer cells. These studies have also shown a decreased formation of pre-cancerous colon polyps and a reduced marker of inflammation. 

What more can you ask of berries? Make sure to plant some this year. Plant them in compost enriched beds in landscape fabric so that the weeds don’t win. Remember, blueberries need a very acid pH of 4.5 to 6.0. 

After harvesting your berries, make a walnut torte, a family favorite of mine. Smear the bottom of two 8-inch cake pans with butter or line with rounds of waxed paper. Put 1 cup walnuts in a food processor and process until nuts are finely grated. Add 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour, 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder, four large eggs and ¾ cup sugar. Mix well. Pour batter into prepared bake pans and bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees. When the cakes are cool, whip 1 ½ cups heavy cream and add 3 tablespoons of sugar. Spread the whipped cream and berries between the layers. Enjoy! 

Editor’s note: Ellagic acid has been marketed as a dietary supplement with claimed benefits against cancer, heart disease, and other diseases. Some U.S.-based supplement companies have received FDA warnings for promoting ellagic acid with false anti-disease claims that violate the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. There is no scientific evidence to support the claims that ellagic acid can treat or prevent cancer (but we do know that berries are delicious, reason enough to eat them regardless!). Source: Wikipedia.