The Power of Berries – Polyphenols in the Mediterranean Diet
by Beth Biggee, MD
“ Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
There have been many diets studied for autoimmune and inflammatory disorders including vegetarian, vegan, keto, autoimmune protocol, and other elimination diets. I follow the Mediterranean diet. There are many reasons for this: the focus on unprocessed, mostly plant based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and the use of olive oil as the principal source of oil. The Mediterranean diet minimizes animal protein except for increasing omega-3 fatty acid intake by eating more cold water fish.
One of the most helpful components of the Mediterranean diet is that it is high in polyphenols. Polyphenols are components in plants that possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and may help combat autoimmunity. Polyphenols support beneficial bacteria in the microbiome of the gut. Gut health has been linked to several autoimmune diseases. Some polyphenols include flavonoids, lignans, phenolic acids. They are found in fruits, leafy vegetables, tea, legumes, and spices. Other polyphenols are curcumin (found in turmeric), resveratrol (found in grapes), epigallocatechin gallate EGCG (found in tea), and anthocyanins (found in berries). Berries have a substantial number of polyphenols.
My favorite is the blueberry, in season right now in New England. However, many berries are high in pesticide exposure so I recommend organic, pick your own organic, or wild berries. Please see the Environmental Working Groups’ website to determine the “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean Fifteen” fruits and veggies concerning pesticide contaminants. Make sure you have identified the plant that you pick as some berries are not edible and toxic. Berries are also very high in fiber helping that gut microbiome, and high in vitamin C to protect and boost your immune system.
I read the book Jamberry by Bruce Degen to my children when they were little. It is a lovely illustrated rhyming book on the berries flowing through the summer; first blueberries, then strawberries, and then blackberries. Other berries come out in the fall such as chokeberries, elderberries, and cranberries. The berry highest in polyphenols is the black chokeberry which I admit I haven’t tired, but I will now after sharing this blog.
We have a tradition in our family of making deserts from the berries that are in season. These days my children do not much appreciate the Jamberry book but certainly still like the desserts. Berries have their own natural sugar so when making desserts from scratch I am mindful to not add too much sugar and avoid adding simple carbohydrates.
I substitute a little dark honey or 100% pure maple syrup in my desserts instead of cane sugar. What is also wonderful about this is that the maple syrup and honey is sourced locally where I live along with most berries. A family favorites is blueberries and raspberries over walnuts and almonds drizzled with a little honey and cinnamon on top. We also make our own cranberry sauce; cranberries, maple syrup, walnuts, and grated orange zest which is a recipe handed down from my husband’s family. You just heat up all the ingredients together on the stove until the cranberries pop and the sauce thickens.