Blackberries

Like raspberries, blackberries are aggregate fruits. Think of them as a tiny cluster of fruit with a seed in each little bulb. They are members of the Rose family. You can tell blackberries from black raspberries because when you pick them, the core of raspberries stays on the plant, while the core of blackberries stays inside the berry.

Blackberries have a number of names and varieties. Depending on where you are you may know them as blackberries, brambleberries, dewberries, thimbleberries, Marionberries, Boysenberries, Evergreen Blackberries, Loganberries, or lawers, and that might not be all of the names they go by.

Also like raspberries and blueberries, cancer research using blackberries is still in its infancy. Research testing blackberries was especially difficult to find. I assume that’s because blackberries can be found on ditch banks and along the roads in most of the U.S. There are very few commercial growers, so they just don’t get the money for promotion or research that other berries get.

Most of the blackberry research has been done at the University of Kentucky and Oregon University. If you’ve ever been to Southern Oregon, you know there are blackberry bushes everywhere, including commercial growers. It’s like there was a Johnny blackberry seed. Only this Johnny had a helicopter, and he flew around dropping blackberry seeds like a cropduster sprays pesticides.

Cancer

Blackberries contain chemical compounds very similar to raspberries, only more of them. The phytonutrients, especially anthocyanins, in blackberries have been tested in vitro and found to stop tumor growth and cause colon cancer cells to die (1). They have also been tested in animal studies. One anthocyanin in blackberries, cyanidin 3-glucoside has been found to induce cancer cell death and stop lung cancer tumor growth in mice (2). However, the definitive human trials are, in most cases, yet to be done. Another chemical in blackberries, Gallic acid, has also been shown to fight cancer, and the ellagic acid in blackberries is a known chemopreventative with antimicrobial properties. (3)

A study testing blackberries for use against lung cancer in women is currently underway at Oregon University. Scientists have found that the berries could reduce the oestrogen activity which feeds the tumor. According to Oregon Univeristy researchers, “Fresh berries are some of the most powerful disease-fighting foods available”(4).

Dementia

Blackberries help prevent dementia and other forms of mental decline. The anthocyanins in blackberries have been shown to protect the brain from oxidative stress and may even reduce the effects of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Blackberries have high concentrations of anthocyanins. (5)

In addition, blackberries contain potent polyphenols that reduce inflammation and encourage communication between neurons. Continued consumption has been shown to promote enhanced brain function. (5, 6)

Additional Health Benefits

Like the other aggregate fruits and berries, blackberries have extremely high antioxidant levels (even higher than blueberries), which contribute to heart health and preventing cancer. They are also rich in vitamin C–a half-cup (three handfuls) provides 100 per cent of the recommended daily vitamin C for an adult. The compound that gives blackberries their color, anthocyanins, and the polyphenols they contain are also potent antioxidants. (3)

Because the tiny seed and the skin around each little bulb are fiber, Blackberries, Raspberries, and other segmented berries are extra rich in fiber. They help prevent disease of the digestive tract and help to control cholesterol. This is more important than it sounds. There are new findings about cholesterol that are changing the way even the medical establishment views this nutrient. Read my report, The Cholesterol Farce.

Blackberries also contain the flavonoid, rutin. Rutin is an anti-inflamatory that helps improve blood circulation and heart health. The ellagic acid in segemented berries works to reduce blood pressure. (3)

Blackberries contain tannins that are known to promote a healthy digestive tract. They ease diarrhea, reduce intestinal inflamation, and even help reduce the incidence of hemorrhoids. The leaves make a powerful tea that provides astringent benefits. Add a little raw honey to the tea, and it becomes an antimicrobial drink that can help you fight off infections (3). 

References

(1) Robin Roenker, updated by Alicia Gregory Enlisting Blackberries in the Fight against Cancer 2006, University of Kentucky, Odyssey.

(2) Chen PN1, Chu SC, Chiou HL, Chiang CL, Yang SF, Hsieh YS. Cyanidin 3-glucoside and peonidin 3-glucoside inhibit tumor cell growth and induce apoptosis in vitro and suppress tumor growth in vivo. Nutr Cancer. 2005;53(2):232-43.

(3) Health and Healing Fact Sheets, Blackberries Berry Health Benefits Network.

(4) From rose hips for joints to blackberries for lung cancer – wild plants are being harnessed for new wonder drugs. Daily Mail, Saturday, July 4th, 2015.

(5) Marshall G. Miller, Barbara Shukitt-Hale. Berry Fruit Enhances Beneficial Signaling in the Brain. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2012; 120203155528007 DOI: 10.1021/jf2036033.

(6)American Chemical Society. Eating berries benefits the brain. ScienceDaily, 7 March 2012.