A Fruit For Wrinkles?
Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 6:33AM
I've long recommended eating berries for their health-protective fiber and antioxidants. But new information about ellagic acid - an antioxidant found in numerous fruits, especially raspberries, strawberries and cranberries (as well as vegetables and nuts) - points to berries' potential as a topical application to help prevent collagen destruction and moderate the inflammatory response. A great deal of well-designed research shows that many compounds in berries, whether applied to the skin or eaten in the form of whole fruit, are among the most protective nutrients your body can utilize. Until topical ellagic acid based preparations are widely available, eating berries regularly is one of the best, not to mention tastiest, moves you can make for overall health.
Reader Comments (2)
I know you recommend organic strawberries, how about all of the other berries? It seems to follow that organic would be better for raspberries and blackberries, but not sure about cranberries and blueberries. I choose organic whenever possible, but I was wondering if only non-organic is available is it a go or a pass? Or how about frozen organic? Thanks!
Jessica: Frozen organic is good. Dr. Weil says organic is best but he does give a list of some things one can not buy organic here: Dr. Weil says: it's okay to prioritize a bit and use non-organic varieties of the fruits and vegetables listed below, which tend to contain the least amount of pesticides. You should still make it a habit to wash them thoroughly before eating or cooking to remove dirt and bacteria.
1. Asparagus
2. Avocados
3. Bananas
4. Broccoli
5. Cabbage
6. Corn (sweet, frozen)
7. Kiwi
8. Mangos
9. Onions
10. Pineapples
11. Peas (sweet, frozen)