Berries hailed as a ‘superfruit’

A campaign is under way to reposition berries as a ‘superfruit’ capable of everything from reversing the signs of ageing to improving your sex life.

To coincide with the beginning of the British berry season British Summer Fruits has commissioned a study into the benefits of eating strawberries and raspberries.

The research was by Patrick Holford, founder of the Institute for Optimum Nutrition, who analysed the fruit’s content of zinc, folate, anti-oxidant, vitamin C and glycaemia.

He said one serving of strawberries or raspberries were found to have three times more health benefits than most fruits. ‘ Berries are as close as you can get to the perfect fruit’. They provide numerous benefits from boosting energy levels to reversing the signs of ageing.
And they help prevent cancer, colds, hay fever and asthma’.

 In particular, Holford said the zinc content meant eating berries can boost your love life. ‘My message is simple: every time you have sex, or simply want to ready yourself or your partner for sex, you should consume a handful of raspberries or strawberries’.

The study is an integral part of British Summer Fruits’ ongoing campaign to reposition strawberries and raspberries away from the special occasion to an everyday fruit.

Laurence Olins, chairman, said: ‘we always knew eating berries was good for us but now we’ve uncovered many more specific reasons for consumers to eat them’.

May 29th 2004