Berries are Great Antioxidants.....

The antioxidants in berries are a true powerhouse! They can help your body fight off disease & stay well!   Eating a diet rich in antioxidants is one of the best things you can do for your health. All fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants, but nutrient-rich berries are some of the absolute best sources.
There are several powerful antioxidants that appear in berries, including *anthocyanin's, quercetin, and vitamin C. Anthocyanin's give berries their vibrant color, reduce inflammation, and may help prevent and manage arthritis. Anthocyanin's work together with *quercetin to help slow age-related memory-loss. Quercetin can also decrease the inflammatory effects of chemicals in the synovial fluid of the joints for people with inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.
Vitamin C is another strong antioxidant found in berries. It is largely responsible for the health of collagen – Hello healthy skin & bye-bye wrinkles. Eating vitamin C–rich berries will contribute to radiant skin, healthy hair, and may reduce the risk of arthritis, cataracts, and macular degeneration.
In addition to being high in antioxidants, berries are “juicy foods,” which means they contain mostly water. Juicy foods are great for staying hydrated and losing weight because they fill you up quickly, since their high water content bumps up the volume while driving down the calories. Berries also contain fiber, folate and other healthy compounds that aid in weight loss, help lower cholesterol & blood pressure, protect us from cardiovascular disease, age-related memory loss, and depression!
Remember, if you can’t find fresh berries, frozen (unsweetened) berries are a good substitute during the off-season months — and just as nutritious! I add berries to almost everything in the summer, even my salads!! What is your favorite way to eat berries?

* Anthocyanins are water-soluble vacuolar pigments that may appear red, purple, or blue depending on the pH. They belong to a parent class of molecules called flavonoids synthesized via the phenylpropanoid pathway; they are odorless and nearly flavorless, contributing to taste as a moderately astringent sensation. Anthocyanins occur in all tissues of higher plants, including leaves, stems, roots, flowers, and fruits. Anthoxanthins are clear, white to yellow counterparts of anthocyanins occurring in plants. Anthocyanins are derived from anthocyanidins by adding sugars.

* Quercetin is a flavonol found in many fruits, vegetables, leaves and grains. It can be used as an ingredient in supplements, beverages, or foods. While quercetin supplements have been promoted for prevention and treatment of cancer, "there is no reliable clinical evidence that quercetin can prevent or treat cancer in humans". Also, there is no evidence that consuming foods rich in quercetin reduces the risk of cancer or any other disease.