The health benefits of raspberries are obtained from the entire fruit -- including the seeds. Raspberries contain natural plant chemicals that act as antioxidants to locate and destroy disease-causing free radicals. In fact, raspberries rank among the top 10 high-antioxidant fruits and vegetables, according the Washington Red Raspberry Commission. Among several potential benefits, the components in raspberry seeds may help prevent infections, heart disease and cancer.
Antioxidant Components
Raspberry seeds contain antioxidant-like phytonutrients including ellagitannins and anthocyanins that may help fight cancer, viruses, inflammation and a number of other conditions. Antioxidants scavenge and destroy cell-damaging substances, called free radicals, that can occur naturally in the body or from exposure to environmental toxins. Although ellagitannins exist in most berries, raspberries contain the highest levels, according to immunology specialist Dr. Susan Thorpe-Vargas. Anthocyanins, also found in many berries, help provide some of the color pigment in plants and fruits.
Antibacterial and Antiviral Benefits
High amounts of the ellagitannins in raspberry seeds may help fight bacteria and viruses. The coiled structure of DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, in bacteria must untwist itself to replicate and spread throughout the body. This process requires an enzyme called gyrase. Ellagitannins may inhibit this enzyme and halt bacterial spread to prevent illness. This antioxidant also may prohibit the action of another enzyme involved in the proliferation of viruses. Unlike bacteria, viruses cannot replicate and must "hijack" and insert their DNA into a host cell. Ellagitannins stop an enzyme, called integrase, from enabling this process, according to Thorpe-Vargas.
Cancer Prevention
Cancer involves the uncontrolled growth, or division, of cells. The ellagitannins in raspberry seeds may help prevent the proliferation of cancer cells by ridding the body of toxins and promoting normal cell growth and division. The liver produces enzymes that break down toxic substances into products, called metabolites, that the body can more easily excrete. Metabolites may damage the body more than the original toxins, and ellagitannins appear to safeguard the liver from these dangerous products, says Thorpe-Vargas. Genes also potentially play a role in the development of cancer. For instance, a mutation in the tumor suppression gene, which controls cell division, can lead to uncontrolled cell growth. Ellagitannins reportedly can prohibit deviations in gene mutations to help prevent cancer.
Heart Health
The antioxidants in raspberry seeds may lower levels of cholesterol to promote the health of blood vessels and reduce the risk of coronary artery disease. Medical doctor Ray Sahelian cites a study published in the July 2009 edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which observed the effects of anthocyanins on 120 subjects with high cholesterol. Participants, aged 40 to 65, received either 160 mg of anthocyanins or a placebo twice daily for a period of 12 weeks. Subjects receiving anthocyanins exhibited lower levels of dangerous low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or LDL cholesterol, and improved overall cholesterol levels.
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