These pretty little berries are one of the highest-fibre fruits you can eat, and they provide vitamin C, manganese, vitamin K, folate and antioxidant anthocyanins and ellagic acid.
Wellness
Raspberries may be small, but they bring plenty to a balanced diet:
Digestive health A cup of raspberries contains around 8 grams of fibre, which keeps you regular and feeds your good gut bacteria.
Blood sugar Thanks to all that fibre, raspberries are low in sugar and have a gentle effect on blood sugar, making them a great fruit for people managing diabetes.
Antioxidants and inflammation Anthocyanins and ellagic acid have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and diets rich in berries are linked with better heart and brain health as we age.
Immune health A cup of raspberries provides more than half of an adult’s daily vitamin C needs.
Heart health Fibre, potassium and berry polyphenols support healthy cholesterol and blood pressure.
Pregnancy Raspberries provide folate, one of the nutrients needed for a healthy pregnancy, alongside the folic acid supplement your doctor will recommend. (Raspberry leaf tea is a separate product; check with your midwife or doctor before using it in pregnancy.)
About “raspberry ketones” Raspberry ketone supplements are sold as fat burners, but there is no good evidence they work in people, and the amount in actual raspberries is tiny. Enjoy the berries for their fibre instead!
Beauty
Collagen support Vitamin C helps your body make collagen for firm, radiant skin, and berry antioxidants help protect skin cells from free radical damage.
Weight management
A cup of raspberries has only around 270 kJ (64 calories), almost no fat and around 8 grams of fibre, making them a powerhouse snack that keeps you full.
Cooking with raspberries
Just pop them in your mouth for a burst of irresistible flavour, or fill the centre with some ricotta cheese.
Add to salads as a surprise but don’t limit them to fruit salads, try them with spinach leaves, quark cheese, candied orange peel and pistachio nuts for a refreshing change….. get creative.
Fill their tiny centres with white castello for a snack.
Suspend them in a champagne jelly of a rosewater infusion for a berry delicious dessert.
RASPBERRY SAUCE
A crowd-pleasing addition to your culinary bag of tricks is this magnificent raspberry-centric sauce, perfect to use as a finishing glaze for grilled chicken breasts or as a vibrant dipping sauce for wings.
Heat 20ml of coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add 125 ml of finely chopped onions to the pan and sauté for five minutes.
Add one minced garlic clove and cook for an additional minute.
Gently stir in 200gms of frozen raspberries.
100 gm rapadura sugar.
5 ml stevia.
5 ml each of apple cider vinegar, Balsamic vinegar, and Dijon mustard . Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until the sauce thickens, about ten minutes. Transfer mixture into a blender, puree until smooth and let cool.
Add some more healthy grapeseed oil and cider vinegar to the mother sauce to make a gorgeous raspberry vinaigrette.
“Cool factoid about Raspberries: Raspberries are actually members of the Rose family!”
This article is general information about food and wellbeing, not medical advice. Please talk to your GP or a qualified health professional about any health condition, medication or major change to your diet.
