Mulberry, or shahtoot as it is called in Hindi, is a wonderous berry with innumerable health benefits to its credit. Not only is this juicy fruit delicious to eat, but adding mulberry to your daily diet also brings with it a host of benefits like lowering cholesterol and managing blood sugar levels. Mulberry, is a rapidly growing plant that rarely exceeds the height of 15 meters. In India, the mulberry bush is often seeing growing wild at the periphery of gardens and patches of land. Most kids growing up in India have, at some point or the other, plucked ripe mulberries and enjoyed them on the go! This juicy, reddish/maroon berry, is filled with anti-oxidants and loaded with soluble dietary fiber further contributing to its beneficial properties. It is anti-inflammatory in nature, and also quite helpful in boosting weight loss.
Let’s explore in detail the health benefits Mulberries:
Table of Contents
Health Benefits Of Mulberries
1. Maintains A Healthy Blood Sugar
One of the most important advantages of eating mulberry seeds is its ability to drastically affect the rising blood sugar level. Containing a compound called 1-deoxynojirimycin, mulberries are vital as they inhibit the growth of the enzymes that break down carbs. As we know, it is the breaking down of carbs that results in the increase of blood sugar levels. When these enzymes are blocked, there is no rapid and sudden spike in blood glucose levels, helping someone who may be experiencing something like this.
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2. Promotes Digestive Health
The presence of dietary fibers is another crucial health benefit of eating mulberries. Fiber is important for digestive health and is responsible for bulking up the stool. This increases the speed at which food travels through the digestive tract (the intestinal transit time). Furthermore, fiber helps to regulate cholesterol levels and can improve heart health when regularly added to the diet. Being anti-inflammatory in nature mulberries are useful in alleviating signs of constipation, bloating, and cramping of the intestines as well.
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3. Rich In Anti-Oxidants
Mulberries contain an abundance of antioxidants such as vitamin C, and vitamin K. Resveratrol is yet another powerful antioxidant that is present in large quantity in mulberries. Resveratrol is responsible for reducing the risk of heart diseases by keeping blood pressure under control. Moreover, proven to be enemies of free-radicals, antioxidants are vital in the protection of cells from free-radical damage, thus postponing or delaying signs of aging such fine lines and age spots.
Also Read: Benefits & Side Effects Of A Vitamin C Rich Diet
4. Strengthens Immunity
Antioxidants such as vitamin C work as a powerful tool for fighting diseases caused by the attack of external pathogens on the body’s cells. A 100g serving of mulberries contains about 33.4mg of vitamin C, which is roughly equivalent to the daily requirement (RDA) of vitamin C by your body. This, in addition to other vitamins and minerals present, makes mulberries effective against tackling illnesses. Antioxidants are vital in stimulating the work of immune cells, and furthermore, they provide protection to other immune cells from any oxidative stress that could render them useless.
5. Improves Brain Function
There is absolutely no doubt that a high antioxidant concentration is responsible for providing mulberries their age-proofing benefits. By protecting the cells of various parts of the body, these antioxidants are beneficial for keeping them young and healthy. One such organ that benefits from an antioxidant-rich diet is the brain. When supplied with adequate amounts of vitamin C and calcium, the human brain is kept nourished and healthy. Decades of research have shown that foods rich in antioxidants have also been linked to keeping diseases like Alzheimer’s at bay.
6. Promotes Tissue Repair
The presence of a high concentration of vitamin K, and other minerals such as iron, and calcium, make mulberry a great choice for maintaining and repairing bone tissues. Minerals are known to slow down, and in some cases even reverse, the process of degradation of bones by increasing their density, thus preventing bone disorders such as arthritis.
7. Healthy Liver
Mulberries are known to contain a compound that is responsible for the purification of the blood. It gives the mulberries a certain ability to improve the functioning of the liver. And not to forget that a high concentration of iron, also found in mulberries, is further beneficial when it comes to promoting liver health. (1)
8. Controls Cholesterol Levels
Thanks to the presence of soluble dietary fibers, mulberries can prove to be an effective choice for the maintenance of healthy cholesterol levels. The type of fiber present in this fruit can absorb water and, according to research, is quite helpful when it comes to decelerating the sudden rise in cholesterol levels, further promoting good cardiovascular health. (2)
9. Prevents Dryness
Dry skin is normally the cause of Vitamins A and E deficiency. It is established that mulberries are a rich source of vitamins, and so it can be automatically concluded that they are indeed beneficial for the skin cells as much as they are for other parts of the body. By hydrating these cells from within, mulberries are great for fresh, radiant, and moisturized skin.
10. Hair Growth
The antioxidant and mineral-rich content in mulberry is as beneficial in nourishing the scalp as it is for the skin. Known to prevent premature greyness of hair – by providing a sufficient amount of calcium, iron, and vitamin C – mulberries also prevent breakage, and most of all, it inhibits the growth of dandruff.
Important Things To Note
- Mulberries are quite effective in lowering the blood sugar level; however, it can prove to have adverse effects on health if ingested alongside diabetic medication, as it can lower the blood sugar level below its desired point. Thus, you must avoid the consumption of mulberries if you are diabetic and are on medications. Check with your diabetologist before consuming anything that may interfere with your blood sugar levels.
- Since it belongs to the berry family, an allergic reaction towards mulberry, though quite rare, can also be of grave discomfort. Some of the symptoms of this allergic reaction are swollen throat, difficulty to breath, and the development of rashes.
Seasonal fruits are a great way to provide nutrition to our body. They are nature’s way of providing to us what we need most during that particular time of the year. Enjoy mulberries in smoothies, shakes, fruit salads or even plain with a bowl of yogurt and reap the benefits of nature’s bounty.