Studies are showing a health connection between the red raspberry, ellagic acid and other free radical quenching compounds they contain.

Ellagic Acid in Red Raspberries

The most noteworthy compound they contain is known as ellagic acid.

This compound was studied back in the 60’s for its positive effects on blood clotting.

What’s more is that studies have shown ellagic acid can inhibit the growth of tumors.

Mainly the studies were conducted to show these effects on skin, esophagus and the lungs.

Other studies worth mentioning have been on breast cancer.

The ellagic acid lessens the amount of bad estrogen which is a main factor in breast cancer.

Source ~ Ellagic Acid Studies

The rich red pigment you see with the red raspberry is due to the compound in them known as anthocyanin that can potentially be free radical quenching.

 Anthocyanins and Antioxidants

Free radicals are unstable molecules that can cause stress and damage to our cells.

The red raspberry has a rich history dating back to the first century. These berries at that time were all wild and the people used them for medicinal purposes.

Perhaps they knew back then the power of ellagic acid in red raspberries.

Red Raspberries, Ellagic Acid Research on Human Health

An antioxidant-rich diet focused on quenching free radical high in low glycemic fruits and vegetables may reduce your risk for chronic diseases.

That’s why scientists focus on antioxidants like ellagic acid for their potential health benefits.

healthyeating.sfgate.com

We are learning that ellagic acid can potentially be anti-mutagenic and ant-inflammatory which are two keys to fighting the underlying cause of many diseases.

When cells mutate and become inflamed we see issues with the top diseases like cancer and heart disease.

What’s more is that ellagic acid can help us combat carcinogens from the foods we eat to the harmful pollutants in the air.

How to Get the Health Benefits from Ellagic Acid in Red Raspberries

From the research Ellagic Acid seems to be a powerful anti-oxidant and the red raspberry is the berry with the highest levels of this hero of a compound.

Freeze Dried Extracts

Freeze dried extracts seem to be the best way to preserve the ellagic acid and I would say in my own experience the most powerful source is from those red raspberries grown in the wild.

The reason for this is because you are allowing the berry to fight out in the wild to survive. It will produce a powerful strong berry as it competes in the soil for the nutrients it needs to survive and thrive.

Think of red raspberries grown conventionally ladened with pesticides and herbicides knowing they will get watered likely with tap water filled with toxins. This creates weak non medicinal grade raspberries as they suck up the pesticides.

I think for most of us we can resort to certified organic red raspberries, frozen red raspberries that at least have been picked and then immediately frozen preserving nutrients.

We can take it a step further and get a potent wild freeze dried raspberry complex. This is my favorite. The color and taste is unparalleled.

This company is all about wild remote source herbs!

Other Nutritional Qualities of Red Raspberries

Red raspberries seem to be relatively safe for diabetics and those into a mild ketogenic lifestyle as they rank at about a 26 on the glycemic load index.

The rich deep color of a red raspberry comes from the pigment flavonoid known as anthocyanin. This produces anti-oxidants and gives it a further medicinal value to the body.

As we age we can use those anti-oxidants to scavenge and quench free radicals to handle the stressors that come our way.

Other anti-oxidants in red raspberries are Vitamin C and quercetin.

Today you can see supplements being sold where they concentrated quercetin because of its positive effects on the respiratory system and immune system.

It can lessen an overload of histamine that you see in those with allergies.

The saturation of colors of each plant, vegetable or fruit is such a wonder and brings into our eating practice a sort of curiosity of how the rainbow of foods are here to serve us, to make sure we stay strong and healthy and radiant.

The humble red raspberry contains minerals like zinc, copper, magnesium and manganese as well as B vitamins like folate, pantothenic acid and B6.

Ideas for Red Raspberry Uses

I love eating red raspberries when they are in season. Finding a local source is exciting or maybe you can forage for them.

Some of the uses are in

1. Smoothies

2. Topping on Yogurt

3. Dessert Recipes

4. Make a sauce

Making a medicinal sauce by blending the berries and serving them over a dish is a great idea to add nutrition and color to any dish, even a savory one.

One of my favorite smoothie recipes is to take 2 tsps of the raspamax powder

with a 1/4 basket of organic red raspberries, whole avocado, 1/4 cup coconut yogurt and 1 tsp spirulina.

I then add in some veggies/greens like cucumber, celery & cilantro.

Put all of this in a high speed blender and blend with clean water until the consistency you most prefer.

Top with hempseeds or sprouted buckwheat.
This is so tasty and loaded with anti-oxidants for your best health. For more of my upgraded nutrient dense recipes check out the cosmic kitchen!