Black raspberry is a plant. The fruit (berry) is a familiar food. The berry, along with the leaf, is also used to make medicine.
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Uses
- The fruit’s pigment is used as a dye, and the fruit itself may have many health benefits, including the prevention of serious chronic diseases. Black raspberry supplements are available as capsules, powders, soft gels and extracts.
Benefits
- Antioxidant: Black raspberries have a high concentration of ellagic acid, a powerful antioxidant. Antioxidants destroy free radicals, which are oxygen molecules that damage cells and contribute to chronic conditions like cancer and heart disease. According to the American Cancer Society, the antioxidant properties of ellagic acid have been associated with death of cancer cells in lab tests.
- Cancer prevention: In addition to its antioxidant properties, ellagic acid also appears to have cancer prevention characteristics. The ACS reports that studies have shown that ellagic acid may help prevent growth of breast cancer cells and help the liver remove cancer-causing substances from the blood. According to Ohio State University, black raspberries may have a role in preventing colon cancer.
- Antitumor Effect: A tumor is a mass of extra cells and can be cancerous when the cells are abnormal and divide uncontrollably. According to the ACS, the ellagic acid in black raspberries may have antitumor properties, based on animal lab studies have found that ellagic acid inhibited tumor growth in the skin, esophagus and lung as well as growth of tumors caused by carcinogens.
- Other Health Benefit: Black raspberries are high in anthocyanins, the substance that gives them their deep purple color. According to the Berry Health Benefits Network, anthocyanins may have anti-inflammatory properties and protect the blood vessels. Research has linked anthocyanins to improved vision, heart health, a decreased risk of high blood pressure and improved memory in older adults. The ACS says ellagic acid may also reduce heart disease, birth defects and liver problems and improve wound healing.
Cautions
- Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Black raspberry is safe for pregnant and breast-feeding women in food amounts. But larger medicinal amounts should be avoided until more is known.
Interactions
- We currently have no information for black raspberry Interactions
Other names
Blackcap, Framboise Noire, Framboise Sauvage, Framboisier Noir, Framboisier de Virginie, Frambuesa Negra, Ronce, Ronce d’Occident, Ronce Occidentale, Rubus occidentalis, Thimbleberry, Virginia Raspberry
References
Live Strong, http://www.livestrong.com/article/171558-health-benefits-of-black-raspberry-supplements/