Mulberries, also known as ‘shahtoot,’ are considered a superfood due to their many health and medicinal benefits. Usually, they are of three colors – red, black, and white. They resemble blackberry and taste almost like grapes.
While most people consume them to reap their benefits, mulberries also have side effects. So if you wish to learn more, keep reading!
Because in this article, we will tell you the nine benefits of consuming mulberries and their few side effects. Moreover, we will also tell you their nutritional value.
Benefits of Mulberries (Shahtoot):
1. They Help To Build Immunity
Now, you can boost your immunity by simply adding mulberries to your daily diet! Mulberry fruit contains alkaloids, which in turn help to activate the macrophages.
Wondering what macrophages are!? We will explain to you – macrophages belong to the group of white blood cells. These cells assist in strengthening your immune system by detecting and killing foreign objects like bacteria, viruses, and pathogens.
Moreover, mulberries are also rich in nutrients such as Vitamin C, which is essential for building your immunity and thereby preventing various diseases.
2. They Help To Control The Blood Sugar Levels
White mulberries are rich in plant compounds that may help treat and prevent the risk of type 2 diabetes. These compounds work by breaking down the blood sugars and absorbing them into the blood.
According to a study, taking just one dose of mulberry leaf extract with a meal helps break down and absorb blood sugars in the body. That’s the reason why mulberry leaves are used in many diabetes medications.
3. They Boost Blood Circulation
Since mulberries are packed with antioxidants, they can improve blood vessels. As a result, the blood flow will not get restricted and the body will get enough supply.
Besides being rich in antioxidants, mulberries also contain high amounts of iron. Since iron helps to produce red blood cells, consuming mulberries will prevent certain diseases like anemia and blood clots, etc.
4. They Support A Healthy Vision
Aging, increased screen type, and certain deficiencies can weaken your eyesight and lead to other eye ailments. However, if you consume the right amount of mulberries regularly, you can say goodbye to your eye ailments!
Zeaxanthin is a type of antioxidant that assists in reducing oxidative stress in our eye cells, and mulberries are rich in this antioxidant. In addition, it also helps to protect your retina from ultraviolet radiation by absorbing extra sunlight.
5. They Decrease The Risk Of Cancer
Increased oxidative stress in the cells can damage them and lead to severe ailments like cancer. But the good news is that mulberries can help in cancer prevention.
New research has found out that the antioxidants found in mulberries may help lower the oxidative stress in cells and tissues and thus, reduce the risk of cancer.
Therefore, we recommend you eat mulberries regularly and reduce your risk of cancer.
6. They Prevent Heart & Liver Disease
Cholesterol is a type of fat molecule present within each body cell. But high levels of cholesterol in the body may increase the risk of heart disease.
Therefore, to lower your cholesterol levels, you must add mulberries to your everyday diet.
According to studies, these fruits help to reduce the extra fat in the body and, consequently, lowering cholesterol levels.
Moreover, some experiments also indicate that mulberry extracts of leaves and fruits can assist in reducing fat accumulation in the liver, which in turn, is vital to prevent liver diseases like obesity.
7. They Promote Brain Health
Eating mulberries is an excellent way to improve your brain health. These delicious fruits are rich in antioxidants like Vitamin E & C, which help prevent our neurological system from oxidative damage.
Moreover, the high amount of calcium in mulberries assists in fulfilling the calcium requirements of the brain and thereby make it function better. So if you have a weak memory, mulberries can be pretty helpful for you!
8. They Are Good For Digestion
Since mulberries are rich in dietary fiber, they can be an affordable and effective solution to your digestive problems.
Consuming just one serving of mulberry fruit makes it easier for the food to move through the intestines and soften the stool. Therefore, they help alleviate bloating, constipation, gas, and stomach cramps.
9. They Help To Strengthen The Bones
As you age, your bone density decreases and, it gets difficult for your body to absorb calcium. Therefore, you need to consume calcium-rich foods or even take supplements. One good way of fulfilling your body’s calcium requirement is to consume mulberries regularly.
Mulberry fruit is very rich in calcium and iron and thus, can help to build and strengthen the bones. It can assist in increasing bone density and thereby prevent certain bone diseases like arthritis, osteoporosis, fracture, etc.
A Few Side Effects Of Mulberries
Although their benefits outweigh their side effects, here are a few reasons why you must be careful when consuming mulberries:
1. They Can Trigger Allergies
Although it is rare, mulberry pollen may trigger allergies in some people and thus cause rashes, skin redness and breathing problems, etc. Therefore, if you’re allergic to pollen, mulberries might not be the right fruit for you.
2. They Can Cause Kidney Problems
The leaves of the Mulberry decrease the levels of uric acid in the body. So if you’re taking any medications for lowering your uric acid, then you must not consume mulberry leaves.
Moreover, since mulberries are very rich in potassium, they are not recommended for kidney patients. The high levels of potassium in the body can also cause nausea, dehydration and, internal bleeding, etc.
3. They Can Lead To Hypoglycaemia
The leaves of the mulberry tree can lower the body’s blood sugar levels. Therefore, if you are already taking medicines for diabetes, then avoid consuming mulberries, especially the mulberry leaves.
4. They Can Cause Digestive Problems
For some people, mulberries may not be suitable for the stomach. According to a study, mulberries caused various digestive problems like bloating, constipation, diarrhea, etc., to people on dyslipidemia medication. Therefore, if you’re on this medication, it is better to consult your doctor before consuming mulberries.
Mulberry Nutritional Content:
Now that you know some benefits and side effects of mulberries, let us also have a quick look at their nutritional content. Ripe and fresh mulberries are high in water content and vitamin C and very low in calories.
100 g of fresh mulberries contain:
- 88% Water
- 43-45 Calories
- 9-10 g Carbohydrates
- 0.4 g Fat
- 8 g Sugar.
- 10% iron
- 40% Vitamin C
- 4% Potassium
- 3% Calcium
FAQs
1. Are mulberries toxic?
Apart from the ripe fruit, white mulberries have a milky sap that can be poisonous to humans and thus, causes nausea, chest pain, and digestive problems.
2. How to know if mulberries are ripe?
It is pretty simple to distinguish between a ripe and unripe mulberry. Usually, ripe mulberries are purple or reddish to deep purplish-black. Moreover, they taste sweeter and become more prominent in size on ripening.
3. Are mulberries beneficial for the skin?
Yes, mulberries are beneficial for your skin and make it plump and youthful. Since these fruits are rich in antioxidants, they help to boost blood circulation in the skin as well as help fight fine lines and wrinkles, etc. For best results, drink fresh mulberry juice regularly.
4. How can I incorporate mulberry into my diet?
You can incorporate mulberries into your daily diet in the following ways: eat them raw, add them to your bowl of fruit salad, blend them in your smoothies/milkshakes, or make mulberry juice.
Moreover, you can even consume the mulberry leaves and not just its fruit. All you need to do is take some dried mulberry leaves and make their tea for drinking.
You May Also Like To Read:
15 Types Of Berries You Should Include In Your Diet
Which Fruit Is Good For Your Skin?
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Mulberries are delicious fruits that can be a great addition to your diet. They are packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that benefit your overall health.
Therefore, to reap their benefits, start incorporating mulberries into your daily diet. However, be careful as they may cause a few side effects already mentioned in this article.
If you have any queries/doubts, we will help you! Just type them down in the comment section, and we will reach out to you soon!
