Scientific name: Vaccinium vitis-idaea Taste: sour, slightly sweet. Health benefits: Like most berries, lingonberries are high in antioxidants, flavonoids and anti-inflammatory agents. One serving packs a whopping percent of your daily recommended manganese, a mineral that helps the body form connective tissue, bones and hormones. Lingonberries may also aid in gut, eye and heart health, promote healthy blood sugar levels and help with weight control. Scientific name: Sambucus Taste: tart-sweet, earthy, bright.
Health benefits: Elderberries , which grow on the same tree as elderflowers, are most beloved for their immune-boosting properties. Elderberry syrup, tea and supplements are purported to shorten colds and reduce the respiratory symptoms that come with them. Health benefits: Huckleberries are similar to blueberries in appearance but contain less sugar, and hence have a bitterer flavor. Huckleberries are also known for their ability to lower cholesterol and protect the body against heart disease, varicose veins, glaucoma and muscular degeneration.
Scientific name: Lycium barbarum Taste: bittersweet when raw; tart-sweet and slightly bitter when dried. Health benefits: Hailing from Asia, goji berries have been used in traditional Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Japanese medicine since at least the third century. Goji berries also have a ton of iron, zinc, calcium and antioxidants. Health benefits: Similar to blackberries, black mulberries are great for pies and jams, and are especially popular in Southern U. Mulberries can also improve blood sugar and reduce your risk for cancer by decreasing oxidative damage in your cells and tissues.
Scientific name: Ribes nigrum Taste: tart and earthy when raw; sweet when dried. Health benefits: These are known to boost kidney function, eye health and immunity. Scientific name: Ribes uva-crispa Taste: acidic, sour, sweet. Health benefits: Fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, oh my! These are among the sourest berries you can eat, but their inflammation-fighting phytonutrient content makes them worth the pucker. Gooseberries also contain a solid amount of chlorogenic acid, which can help control your blood sugar levels, as well as copper, manganese and potassium.
Typically, the darker the gooseberry, the higher anthocyanin content. Scientific name: Euterpe oleracea Taste: sweet, earthy, tart.
The Brazilian superfruit is also loaded with antioxidants three times the amount found in blueberries, to be exact and could help boost brain function and healthy cholesterol. Scientific name: Actinidia arguta Taste: tart, sweet, aromatic. Health benefits: These cuties taste like a fuzz-less kiwi, only more complex and acidic though they still make a solid substitute for regular kiwis in most recipes.
Kiwi berries are packed with vitamins, fiber, magnesium, potassium and antioxidants, just like most of the berries on this list. One serving boasts percent of your daily recommended vitamin C, as well as 2 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber. Health benefits: Native to Alaska and Canada, the salmonberry looks a lot like a blush- or orange-colored raspberry.
Scientific name: Amelanchier alnifolia Taste: sweet, nutty, earthy. Health benefits: They look a lot like blueberries but are softer and redder in color. Native to Alaska, Western Canada and parts of the U. Use them to boost your intake of magnesium, iron, potassium, calcium, copper and more. Scientific name: Rubus chamaemorus Taste: floral, tart, slightly sweet.
Thanks to their many antioxidants , cloudberries are linked to strengthening bones, fighting anemia and detoxifying the body. Scientific name: Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Taste: dry and bland when raw; sweeter when cooked. Health benefits: Though naturally found in arctic and subarctic zones around the globe, bearberries can be grown throughout the U. Ways to Use Them: Dry the leaves for tea, cook the berries down into sauce or add them to baked goods like muffins, cakes or scones.
Health benefits: Similar to black mulberries that resemble blackberries, red mulberries look like long raspberries. Their fiber content may help you maintain a healthy cholesterol level and digestive system, while their high amounts of iron and vitamin C could aid skin health, reduce your risk of heart disease and lower blood pressure.
Tea made with mulberry leaves could also help lower blood sugar and reduce inflammation. Scientific name: Capparis spinosa Taste: tangy, herbal, sharp. Health benefits: Capers are the pickled flower buds of the Mediterranean caper bush. Caperberries are rich in antioxidants, iron, calcium and vitamins A, B2 and K.
They were used in ancient times as both medicine and an aphrodisiac. Health benefits: Chokeberries are one of the most bitter out there, thanks to their notable tannins. Some studies show that chokeberries are one of the best for cardiovascular health, and their antioxidants help reduce inflammation, blood pressure and cholesterol.
Scientific name: Prunus virginiana Taste: bitter, astringent, tart. Health benefits: Not to be confused with chokeberries, chokecherries are chock-full of disease-fighting antioxidants and flavonoids, as well as quinic acid, which is hailed for preventing urinary tract infections. Some of the healthiest types of berries are blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries.
There are also some exotic types of berries such as goji and acai berries that are praised for their health benefits. But just what is a berry? We usually think of a berry as any type of small edible fruit. Because most people think of berries as small, pulpy, edible fruits without a stone or pit, we will refer to them as such in this article. That means that the list of berries in this article is based on the definition given to berries in the culinary world rather than the botanical definition.
Cranberries are a sour-tasting type of red berry that are rich in vitamin C and are packed with fiber and antioxidants. In the wild, cranberries grow on vines near ground level in bogs. Cranberry fruits are used to produce juice, jams, and are also sold as dried berries. Because cranberries have a very tart taste, cranberry products often contain added sugar. Being a red berry, cranberries are rich in antioxidants such as flavanones, anthocyanins, and flavanols. One of the most common uses of consuming cranberry juice is to help prevent urinary tract infections.
It seems that cranberries have a mild antibacterial effect and may help to address issues with the urinary system. Blueberries are usually top on the list of dark-colored berries because of their juicy flesh and sweet taste. As with most dark berries such as blackberries, blueberries contain a lot of vitamins and antioxidants.
Studies have shown that anthocyanins the pigment that gives berries its color in blueberries help promote good eye health. Blueberries are also low in fat and high in fiber as well as vitamins C and K. Studies have also shown that dark berry fruits such as blueberries and blackberries have a good effect on cardiovascular health.
One of the reasons why eating blueberries is good for you is that they help lower cholesterol. You could easily mistake huckleberries for blueberries as they look very similar.
In fact, in some countries, they are called the European blueberry and are also referred to as bilberries.
The notable difference between blueberries and huckleberries is the seeds. Compared to blueberries, huckleberries also have less sugar and, therefore, fewer carbs.
However, just like most types of dark berries, huckleberries are rich in fiber and antioxidants. You can use huckleberries in your diet in place of blueberries if you are looking to reduce your carb intake. Chokeberry Aronia berry is a type of sour berry that looks similar to blueberries but have a darker, almost black color.
The reason why chokeberries are one of the bitter-tasting berries is due to their high levels of tannins. Eating a few of these dark types of berries can leave your mouth feeling dry and bitter. Rather, they use them to make jams, teas, syrups or put into baked goods. According to some studies, chokeberries could be one of the healthiest berries for improving cardiovascular health.
The antioxidants in these dark berries help reduce inflammation, blood pressure, and cholesterol. If you find chokeberries too bitter to eat, then you can buy chokeberry extracts in the form of powder. Elderberry is another berry on the list of dark berries that are healthy for you.
Elderberries may be among some of the healthiest berries to consume. Elderberries are rich in vitamins C and A and are a good source of healthy minerals. To incorporate these small dark berries into your diet, you can make elderberry tea or syrup. In fact, there is some evidence that elderberry syrup can help treat colds and other upper respiratory infections. Similar to the health benefits of other dark berries, the anthocyanins in elderberry are good for your heart health and can help boost your immune system.
Gooseberries are a type of sour berry that grows on small bushes and are usually a green type of berry. Even though gooseberries may be among the sourest berries you can eat, they are still not as sharp and tangy as lemons. There are also varieties of gooseberry bushes that produce red, purple, yellow, and white berry fruits. Some types of gooseberry botanically a currant have been crossed with black currants to produce a dark berry called jostaberries.
As with most edible berries, gooseberries contain fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients. Various gooseberry cultivars are also a good source of antioxidants, although darker varieties of gooseberries typically have higher levels of anthocyanins. Because of their tart taste, these small red berries are often used to make jams, syrups, compotes, or added to smoothies.
Their rich vitamin C content and trace minerals can help to improve the nutritional content of many foods. To enjoy its health benefits, you should consume fresh lingonberries rather than powdered supplements. Studies have shown that the fiber content in lingonberries helps prevent blood sugar spikes.
A hybrid berry called the boysenberry is a cross between a loganberry, blackberry, raspberry, and dewberry. Related: What's the difference between a fruit and a vegetable? Botanically speaking, a berry has three distinct fleshy layers: the exocarp outer skin , mesocarp fleshy middle and endocarp innermost part, which holds the seeds.
For instance, a grape's outer skin is the exocarp, its fleshy middle is the mesocarp and the jelly-like insides holding the seeds constitute the endocarp, Jernstedt told Live Science. The same layered structure appears in other berries, including the banana and watermelon, although their exocarps are a bit tougher, taking the form of a peel and a rind, respectively.
The suffix "carp" comes from the word "carpel," which refers to the pistil , the female organ of the flower, Jernstedt said. In addition, to be a berry, a fruit must have two or more seeds. Thus, a cherry, which has just one seed, doesn't make the berry cut, Jernstedt said. Rather, cherries, like other fleshy fruit with thin skin and a central stone that contains a seed, are called drupes, she said.
Moreover, to be a berry, fruits must develop from one flower that has one ovary, Jernstedt said. Some plants, such as the blueberry, have flowers with just one ovary. Hence, the blueberry is a true berry, she said. Tomatoes, peppers, cranberries, eggplants and kiwis come from a flower with one ovary, and so are also berries, she said.
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