Fresh boysenberries are hard to come by. But fret not because you may come across them in frozen or canned form if you pay several different supermarkets a visit. Yes, it’s worth spending your time and energy to searching for boysenberries because they offer a variety of health benefits which will be discussed later on in this article.
The ancestry of boysenberries is rather interesting. You see, they didn’t just exist in nature — they had to be made! Unlike most hybrid fruits out there, boysenberries have numerous parents. Scientists combined blackberries and raspberries with loganberries and dewberries, both of which are crossbreeds themselves.
Just because boysenberries are the products of scientific engineering doesn’t mean that you should steer clear of them. These unique berries cannot be considered as genetically modified such as those GMOs that doctors say can cause various health problems. Boysenberries are simply products of cross-pollination which can happen naturally, although the coming into being by boysenberries had to have a little push with help with agricultural experts.
Boysenberries look exactly just like blackberries, one of their many parents. When young, boysenberries are green in color, slowly changing into straw and orange until they are purplish black, a sign that they are fully ripe.
Just like you what you would imagine their taste to be like, boysenberries are sweet and kind of tangy. You can snack on boysenberries as they are, or you may use them as toppings for oatmeal, yogurt and other healthy treats that are commonly made more appetizing with fresh or dried fruits. However, boysenberries are also perfect for turning into pies, jellies, jams, sauces and syrups. In other words, they are so versatile.
Now that you are acquainted with boysenberries, it’s time for us to check out the health perks they offer:
Lowered Blood Pressure
Potassium is one of the key nutrients in boysenberries. As everybody knows, this mineral is very good at keeping high blood pressure at bay. So if your doctor told you that you should opt for a healthier eating habit because you are hypertensive or you are at risk of it, consider including boysenberries in your diet.
Decreased Cholesterol
There are also lots and lots of antioxidants present in boysenberries, and that is why the intake of these hybrid fruits can help in lowering bad cholesterol which can cause the arteries to become clogged. Because of the bad cholesterol- and blood pressure lowering-properties of boysenberries, one’s risk of heart disease can be reduced.
Optimized Production of RBC
Boysenberries also supply your body with iron, a nutrient so important for the prevention or treatment of iron-deficiency anemia. You see, iron is crucial for the production of red blood cells or RBCs. Insufficient amounts of RBC can keep the blood from transporting oxygen efficiently.
Strengthened Bones
Calcium and vitamin K — these are nutrients present in boysenberries that enable them to help keep osteoporosis from striking. It’s no secret that calcium is a mineral that makes the bones strong. On the other hand, vitamin K helps the bones absorb calcium. So without vitamin K, calcium is practically powerless in toughening up the bones.
Improved Immune System
Just like most other berries out there, boysenberries are very rich in vitamin C. We all know how important this vitamin is in keeping the immune system in a great shape. Thanks to the regular consumption of boysenberries, your risk of suffering from the common cold, flu or any other infection can be lowered.
These are some of the amazing benefits that you can get from including boysenberries in your diet on a regular basis. If you cannot find fresh boysenberries, it’s a much better idea for you to opt for frozen ones than canned ones. That’s because canned boysenberries are floating in syrup that is loaded with sugar and calories.
Don’t forget to repost this article on your various social media sites to get everyone you care about introduced to these amazing fruits that are the babies of four different types of berries!