Do you know what is raspberry? Have you seen or tried eating one before? If not, why not give this amazing fruit a try? Well, I am telling you, this fruit is a must try. So if I were you, I will try it as soon as possible! Not just that this fruit is oozing with so many essential nutrients and amazing health benefits, it may also be beneficial in losing weight. Yes, you read it right –raspberry for weight loss may be a thing. You can use it in losing that extra fat in the body while devouring on its delicious taste. Give this article a read and get to know about the possible benefits of raspberry in losing weight.
Raspberry: A Brief Description
Actually, raspberry belongs to a number of plant species in the plant family of rose. Furthermore, it is a perennial plant. It possesses a woody stem. It also has a rich color and a very juicy taste, thus, making it one of the most eaten fruits on the planet.
The raspberry has two most common varieties, the black, and the red raspberry. The black ones are native to the western section of America, while the red ones are thought to have been brought by various prehistoric personalities.
Moreover, the raspberry has a unique conical shape and weighs about 2 to 4 grams. It also has about 80 to 100 drupelets that are arranged in concentric whorls. Though most of the most common kinds of raspberry are in color red-pink, a few hybrids also come in the range of colors like white, yellow, orange, purple, and black.
You may ask, is raspberry good for you? Well, actually, the fruit is great in offering a lot of benefits for the health. Several of which are good in protecting against illnesses like diabetes and cancer, as well as the prevention of illnesses related to the heart.
Moreover, we have ORAC or Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. This is what sets the raspberry apart from most of the fruits. ORAS is actually a process of measuring the levels of antioxidant on various food items. The raspberry possesses one of the highest values of ORAC. As a matter of fact, a cup of raspberry has about 66058 µmol of ORAC every 100 grams. For that particular reason alone, it is for sure that the raspberries deserve a copious amount of space on the diet.
Nutritional Value of Raspberry
A hundred grams of raspberry may contain the following essential nutrients:
| Principle | Amount | % Daily Value |
| Energy | 52 Kcal | 2.5% |
| Carbohydrates | 11.94 grams | 9% |
| Protein | 1.20 grams | 2% |
| Total Fat | 0.65 grams | 3% |
| Cholesterol | 0 milligrams | 0% |
| Dietary Fiber | 6.5 grams | 16% |
| Vitamins | ||
| Folates | 21 micrograms | 5% |
| Niacin | 0.598 milligrams | 4% |
| Pyridoxine | 0.055 milligrams | 4% |
| Riboflavin | 0.038 milligrams | 3% |
| Vitamin-A | 33 International Unit | 1% |
| Vitamin-C | 26.2 milligrams | 47% |
| Vitamin-E | 1.42 milligrams | 9% |
| Vitamin K | 7.8 micrograms | 6.5% |
| Electrolytes | ||
| Sodium | 1 milligrams | 0% |
| Potassium | 151 milligrams | 3% |
| Minerals | ||
| Calcium | 25 milligrams | 2.5% |
| Copper | 90 micrograms | 10% |
| Iron | 0.69 milligrams | 8.5% |
| Magnesium | 22 milligrams | 5.5% |
| Manganese | 0.670 milligrams | 29% |
| Zinc | 0.42 milligrams | 4% |
| Phyto-nutrients | ||
| Carotene-ß | 12 micrograms | — |
| Carotene-α | 16 micrograms | — |
| Lutein-zeaxanthin | 136 micrograms | — |
Raspberry for Weight Loss: How does it help?
The benefit of raspberry for weight loss may actually be credited to its manganese and fiber content. As a matter of fact, the fiber, as we know, keeps you feel full longer and helps in discouraging you from binge eating. In the actual fact, the fiber in one serving of raspberry is more than the serving of an oatmeal or bran flakes. On the other hand, the manganese in it is beneficial in boosting the metabolism and help burn the fats much faster.
Moreover, the number of calories in the raspberry is low, and are free from fat. Therefore, they could be a good addition to the weight loss diet. Furthermore, the raspberry is also low in GI or glycemic index. Remember, foods that are low in glycemic index have small impacts on the blood sugar levels –thus. The blood sugar is not likely to spike.
According to an American study, the raspberry ketones contained in the raspberries were found to have a potential in losing weight in the preliminary tests in animals. The same findings may be possible in humans, although further studies are still needed. Moreover, the raspberry ketones were also found to have a potential in preventing weight gain due to the fact that it is a high-fat diet.
The ketones in the raspberry may also have an effect in increasing the fat breakdown that may eventually contribute to losing weight. This may be achieved through the enhancement of the lipid metabolism. This appears to be the main function of the ketones.
Furthermore, the raspberry also has another compound known as resveratrol. This is essential in converting the bad fats in the body into good fats. This is beneficial in burning extra calories in the body.
Additional Benefits of Raspberry for Weight Loss
The high fiber and low calories content of the raspberry makes them a very excellent choice as an addition to the diet. Specifically, if you want to lose weight. Fruits are low in energy density, thus, they can provide much larger portions for fewer calories. Fat content, fiber, and water determine the foods’ energy density.
Bear in mind that fruits are high in water content. This will provide a volume, not calories. Furthermore, raspberries are fat-free and is full of fiber. Fiber-rich foods take much longer for the body to digest, thus making you feel fuller much longer. Also, insoluble fiber present in the raspberry is beneficial in keeping the body regular –that also help promote weight loss.
