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Mulberries hailed as new superfruit

25th September 2008 Print
All hail the new superfruit sensation to reach these shores and stand out from the crowd with the highest levels of antioxidants of any red berry fruits. The mulberry, which resembles a raspberry, boasts an impressive nutritional CV outperforming cranberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries.

The mulberry’s levels of antioxidants are 79% higher than blueberries and 24% more than those found in cranberries. It is packed full of vitamins and fibre and contains high levels of resveratrol, the antioxidant super hero which helps combat heart disease, cancer and helps lower cholesterol and other diseases associated with chronic inflammation.

Amazingly this antioxidant appears to fool cancer cells into believing DNA has already been damaged and so possibly help prevent the spreading of the disease. It’s early days but scientists at Harvard University are excited about another insight into how cancer may be tackled.

And mulberries can help to keep you fighting fit throughout the winter too - a recent report in the Journal of Infectious Diseases states that resveratrol decreased the reproduction of the influenza virus, in other words it may be useful in preventing or treating the flu.

Leading UK nutritionist, Anita Bean BSc, R.Nutr comments: "Drinking a glass of mulberry juice every day will help boost antioxidant levels in the body which is thought to help prevent or reduce cell damage caused by oxidation, a process that damages cells in the body. This has been linked to the development of diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Mulberries really are the next generation of super fruits."

If you aren’t lucky enough to have a mulberry tree in your garden, you can buy mulberries from your local farmers market, as dried fruit from well-known health stores or in juice form from Mulberry Fair which is available from Waitrose. Fresh mulberries can also be picked from fruit farms across the country.