May Reduce Disease Risk

Antioxidants are plant chemicals that aid in the fight against and recovery from oxidative stress. Oxidative stress has been related to an increased risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and other diseases. Raspberries are high in antioxidant components such as vitamin C, quercetin, and ellagic acid. Raspberries have a similar antioxidant content to strawberries, but only half that of blackberries and a fifth of that of blueberries.

According to animal research, raspberries and raspberry extracts have anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties that may lower the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer. In an eight-week trial of obese, diabetic mice, those fed freeze-dried red raspberry exhibited less inflammation and oxidative stress than the control group. Another study in mice discovered that ellagic acid, an antioxidant present in raspberries, may not only prevent oxidative damage but also repair damaged DNA.