This week’s summer beauty food, the blackberry, grows wild on thorny bushes, but is also cultivated–Oregon being the top producer in the world. This fruit is in the rose family, and boasts a wide array of health benefits.

• It’s on the top ten foods for antioxidants making it quite powerful, and in part contributes to its dark, purple color.
• Specifically, anthocyanins are the antioxidants that give them their dark pigment. It’s also the reason why it helps with urinary tract health, aging and memory function, and reduces the risk of certain cancers.
• Phytochemicals are another antioxidant with a strong presence. These help protect cells and can actually fight disease. That’s another win for team blackberry.
• Ellagic acid, found in all berries and abundantly in blackberries, protect the skin from UV-ray damage. Studies have also shown that this antioxidant may also repair skin that’s already been damaged by the sun.
• Blackberries are also a great source of Vitamin C, which helps heal wounds. Studies also show that it may even lessen the appearance of wrinkles. There’s another compound called cyanidin-3-glucoside that prevents skin cancer by amazingly inhibiting tumors from growing and spreading.
• A few other important nutrients that are packed in these summertime berries are: Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Manganese and fiber

How do you enjoy these summer berries?

Katharina Knoll, a Manhattan-based food and art enthusiast has prepared a series of anti-inflammatory recipes celebrating simple, rustic foods. Enraptured by the intersection of health and nutrition, Kat is the founder and director of Behind Foods. Follow Kat on her blog, Katharina’s Food Adventures, and keep in touch through her Facebook fan page and Twitter