BENEFITS OF RED RASPBERRIES

Red raspberries are some of the most popular berries consumed around the world. However, these bite-sized morsels of sweet and juicy goodness are as healthy as they are delicious. Not only are they recommended to be eaten for optimal health, they are also getting a reputation as being a dieter's best friend.
It may be hard to believe that one small berry can be packed full of so many benefits, but it is. Below are five red raspberry nutrition facts you should find interesting regardless if you are trying to lose weight or not.

Weight Loss

According the United States National Library of Medicine, the rheosmin in raspberries can boost weight loss. Raspberry keytones can increase oxygen consumption, heat production, and enzyme activity in certain fat cells. This all amounts to increased metabolism. By eating raspberries, your body might be less likely to deposit fat into your cells. It may even use some of the stored fat to convert to energy. Also, this reduces your risk for inflammation-based concerns that are often associated with obesity, and your pancreas may produce less pancreatic lipase, which is an enzyme that absorbs fat.

Cancer Prevention

Considering red raspberries boast a strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant phytonutrient mixture, it should not be surprising to learn that they are associated with cancer prevention. According to the Wilce Student Health Center at The Ohio State University, cancer cells can be triggered in human tissues by chronic excessive inflammation and excessive oxidative stress. Raspberries combat both of these triggers and are closely associated with cancers of the breast, esophagus, cervix, colon, and prostate.

Anti-inflammatory Benefits

Inflammation is associated with more medical conditions than most people realize. Just a few include arthritis, allergies, asthma, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, Alzheimer's, and a number of autoimmune disorders. When you make dietary changes that reduce inflammation, you also decrease risk factors for disease. Red raspberries contain a number of phytonutrients that prevent over-activity of some pro-inflammatory enzymes. For example, ellagic acid is shown to reduce aspects of excessive inflammation associated with Crohn's disease.

Rich in Antioxidants

Every second of the day, your body is exposed to free radicals. These don't even include toxins you introduce to your body through food and lifestyle choices. Free radicals are atoms that damage cells, DNA, and proteins by altering their chemical structure. This damage can easily be prevented by simply binding the free radicals and antioxidants together, thereby preventing oxidation. Antioxidants essentially stop free radicals from doing damage and then package them in a way that allows the kidneys to flush them from your system. It is so easy to prevent free radical damage with a proper diet that it is hard to understand why so many people don't incorporate antioxidant-rich foods into their daily diet.

Cardiovascular Health

Red raspberries contain manganese, potassium, manganese, and iron. These minerals all play their own role in cardiovascular health. Copper is required to produce red blood cells while iron is needed to transport blood and nutrients throughout the body. Potassium helps to control blood pressure and heart rate, and manganese is a co-factor that your body needs to produce the super oxide dismutase enzyme responsible for neutralizing free radicals. Manganese helps control blood sugar levels, and it helps maintain the function of the digestive tract.

Red raspberries can be easily added to your daily diet. One cup only contains 60 calories, so you can eat them as a snack or add them to a salad, smoothie, or breakfast granola.
In every bite, you get manganese, fiber, magnesium, omega-3 fats, folate, copper, potassium, and vitamins C, E, and K.
If all these reasons are not enough, you could simply eat them because they are a delicious treat sure to satisfy any sweet tooth!!

Red Raspberry Mousse  Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 – 10 oz pkg frozen raspberries
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1-cup heavy cream
• 1 egg white
• ¼ cup sugar

Directions

Prepare 4 – 6 oz. ramekin by lining bottom of ramekins with rounds of wax paper or parchment paper. Cut 4 – 10 inch long strips of wax paper or parchment slightly higher than ramekin and line sides of ramekins overlapping ends.
Place raspberries in a food processor and process until smooth. Add lemon juice.
In a large bowl beat cream until stiff peaks form. Fold in raspberry mixture
Beat egg white until stiff peaks form. Sprinkle sugar over egg white and continue beating until sugar is dissolved. Fold into raspberry mixture.
Pour mixture into ramekins smoothing tops and freeze solid.
To remove mousse from molds, dip each in mold into hot water for 5 seconds, wipe dry and invert onto chilled plate, using paper to help pull each dessert from mold.
Spoon sauce around mousse on plate.
Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

Raspberry Sauce

• 5 oz frozen raspberries (1/2 pkg) thawed.
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 Teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon Chambord or Grand Marnier

Puree raspberries in food processor, press through a fine sieve to remove seeds. Mix puree with remaining ingredients and chill until ready to serve.

Sources:  The following are abstracts from the Washington State University scientific literature review on nutrition research about raspberries (February 16, 2007): Cancer, Hypertension Cardio Atherioscle, Central Nervous System, Inflammation, Gastrointestinal, Obesity, Antimicrobial, Processing-Analysis, Review Articles, and other abstracts.

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