The effect of raspberries on a woman’s body: how it is useful and in what cases it is harmful
Raspberries are considered one of the healthiest berries. For a woman, it can become a source of good health and beauty. Read the article about the beneficial properties and contraindications for eating berries.
Chemical composition and properties of raspberries
Raspberries are a natural source of vitamins C, D, E, H, K and PP. The latter is especially useful during the period of preparation for pregnancy and bearing a child. Raspberries also have a high silicon content, which is responsible for the strength of bones along with calcium and the functioning of the ligamentous apparatus.
Reference. Regular consumption of raspberries helps maintain mobility, and in old age prevents the development of osteoporosis.
100 g of berries contains:
- 25 mg ascorbic acid;
- 0.6 mcg vitamin E;
- 1.9 mcg vitamin H;
- 7.8 mcg phylloquinone;
- 0.7 g vitamin PP;
- 33 mcg vitamin A.
The main microelements in the composition are:
- silicon (39 mg), the amount of which in 100 g of berries allows you to cover the daily requirement of the substance;
- cobalt (2 μg);
- molybdenum (15 mcg);
- copper (270 mcg);
- manganese (0.21 mcg).
Calorie content and BZHU
The nutritional value of raspberries is low - only 46 kcal per 100 g. This amount contains 0.8 g of protein, 0.5 g of fat, 8.3 g of carbohydrates, 3.7 g of fiber and 85 g of water.
Reference. Raspberries can be consumed during a diet due to their low calorie content and low carbohydrate content.Moreover, even 100 g of berries will almost completely cover the daily requirement of microelements and vitamins.
Benefits and harms for the female body
Not only the berries themselves, but also the leaves and stems will benefit a woman’s body.. Tea from raspberry leaves due to the high content of mineral salts and organic acids, as well as tannins and flavonoids. Tea made from raspberry leaves is indispensable during colds and inflammatory diseases, as it has an antipyretic, toxin-removing and anti-inflammatory effect. Let’s take a closer look at how raspberries are beneficial for a woman’s body.
Medicinal properties for various diseases
A special effect is achieved by consuming raw berries and raspberry leaf tea for colds. People have long known the beneficial properties of this berry - it’s not for nothing that grandmothers always feed their grandchildren when they have a cold. raspberry jam. For a woman's body, when suffering from colds, eating raspberries is beneficial due to the high content of salicylic acid.
The presence of tannins in raspberry leaf tea provides an antimicrobial effect, so the drink is useful for diseases of bacterial etiology - cystitis, respiratory tract infections. In folk medicine, dysbacteriosis and bacterial diseases of the genital tract are treated with an infusion of raspberry leaves through irrigation.
Raspberry fruits, when consumed regularly, improve the functioning of the stomach and intestines, restore metabolic disorders, making them very useful in the treatment of obesity and during diets. During pregnancy, berries effectively fight nausea due to their high vitamin C content and accelerate the elimination of toxins during toxicosis.
Regular consumption of tea made from raspberry leaves and berries helps strengthen the heart muscle and reduces the risk of developing heart failure. The benefits in this case are only fresh fruits; in jams and preserves, they lose beneficial substances during heat treatment, and the high sugar content can harm the heart and blood vessels.
During the diet, the acceleration of the weight loss process is due to the acceleration of metabolism and the presence of lipolytic enzymes in fruits. A decrease in blood sugar levels and a high fiber content restores the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and removes toxins. The diuretic and choleretic effect reduces swelling and eliminates excess salts.
Contraindications
Like any product, raspberry fruits can bring not only benefits, but also harm to health in case of individual intolerance and allergic reactions.
Important! Raspberries are considered one of the most allergenic berries.
It is also not recommended to consume fruits if:
- erosive gastritis;
- peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum;
- gout;
- disorders of the kidneys.
During pregnancy, despite their usefulness, fresh raspberries should be consumed in limited quantities, as well as raspberry tea. leaves. In large quantities, fruits can cause increased uterine tone and increase the risk of miscarriage.
In what form and quantity to eat for maximum benefit?
Raspberry fruits are recommended to be consumed fresh. Heat-treated berries in the form of jam, preserves, and jelly lose their beneficial properties, and the high sugar content in products does not benefit the body.
It is recommended to consume at least 300-400 g of raspberries per day for adult women and up to 200 g of berries for children aged 10 to 16 years.Girls under 10 years old are allowed no more than 100 g of fresh berries per day.
Raspberries for women during pregnancy
Pregnancy is a special stage in a woman’s life, during which the expectant mother’s body needs increased amounts of microelements and vitamins. The benefits of both fresh berries and tea from raspberry leaves have been known for a long time, but it should be remembered that the fruits and drink should be consumed in limited quantities.
Regular intake of 200-300 g of fresh berries allows you to cope with gestosis in the early stages of fetal development, improves the functioning of the digestive system, increases immunity, helps strengthen the mother’s bones and the development of the child’s bone and ligamentous apparatus. In the later stages, the fruits prepare the body for easy childbirth and stimulate labor.
Important! Excessive consumption of fruits and raspberry tea in the early stages can provoke a miscarriage, and in the later stages - premature birth.
Before consuming raspberries, you should definitely consult with your gynecologist during your pregnancy.
When breastfeeding
After delivery during breastfeeding, raspberries should be consumed with caution. Experts recommend excluding berries from the diet for at least 5-6 months so as not to provoke allergic reactions in the baby.
After the child reaches six months, you can diversify the mother’s menu, starting with several berries a day. If the baby has no negative reactions, the daily norm is gradually increased to 150 g.
What are the benefits of berries for beauty?
Raspberry berries and leaves are actively used both in official industrial cosmetology and in homemade recipes for masks for skin and hair.Fresh raspberry juice has a tightening and rejuvenating effect, and wraps with raspberry juice help break down subcutaneous fat and get rid of cellulite. In addition, raspberry juice helps remove age spots and freckles.
Hair
Juice from freshly squeezed raspberries prevents split ends and becomes an excellent rinse. It is squeezed out of raspberry pulp and diluted with water: 3-4 tbsp is enough for an average length. l. juice per 1 liter of water. The hair is slightly dried, then rinsed with 1/3 of the resulting rinse. The remaining amount is thoroughly rubbed in, and after 5-7 minutes, washed off with clean water.
Hair masks are also made from raspberry juice. For oily hair, use low-fat kefir as a base, and for dry hair, use olive oil. Yogurt is also suitable for all hair types. At 3-4 tbsp. l. 1 tbsp of raspberry juice is enough. l. any basis. The mask is applied to the scalp and the length of the strands, left for half an hour to an hour, after which the hair is washed with regular shampoo.
Skin
Raspberries are included in many cosmetic products: creams, milks, gels, masks and many others. You can prepare various masks yourself. For dry skin, use egg white and 1 tsp as a base. juice, mix the ingredients and leave on the skin for 10-20 minutes.
For normal skin, take 1 tsp as a base. vegetable oil, egg white and 1 tbsp. l. milk. Add a few crushed raspberries to the mixture and apply to the face for 15 minutes. For oily skin, mashed black bread crumb with a handful of raspberries is suitable.
An excellent solution would be a facial scrub with the addition of crushed raspberry seeds. Fresh berries are thoroughly crushed in a blender and the juice is squeezed out. Add 1 tsp to the resulting slurry.l. vegetable oil and use the resulting mixture to exfoliate dead skin cells on the face, neck, and shoulders.
For weight loss
Raspberries are very useful for losing weight - they perfectly restore metabolism and improve skin condition. 1/2 tbsp is enough. fresh fruits a day to start the weight loss process. Eating raspberries with kefir before bed reduces the feeling of hunger.
Tea made from berries or leaves diversifies your drinking regimen. In addition, the drink has a diuretic and diaphoretic effect, removes waste, toxins, and harmful salts. Diaphoretic baths with the addition of a decoction of raspberry leaves and sea salt are similar in effect to a bath: they increase skin elasticity, increase blood flow to the surface layers of subcutaneous tissue, thereby increasing the effectiveness of anti-cellulite cream.
Application in cosmetology
Raspberries have long been successfully used in the composition of industrial creams, scrubs, tonics, gels, shampoos, balms and rinses. The starting material used is juice, raspberry seeds, pulp, and decoctions based on raspberry fruits and leaves. The high content of vitamins increases the benefits of using such natural cosmetics.
Important! The high concentration of acids allows the fruits to be used in cosmetics to whiten the skin, get rid of freckles and age spots.
How to choose, store and use correctly
When picking berries directly from the bush, select only whole, fairly dense fruits that are not damaged by pests or diseases. Overripe berries can be used for fresh consumption, but firm, ripe fruits are recommended for long-term storage.
When purchasing fresh berries, they must be whole, without dents or juice at the bottom of the container. It is not advisable to wash them.Fresh raspberries can be stored for no more than a day at a temperature not exceeding +20°C.
For storage, choose dense, fresh berries. The fruits can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than a week. The raspberries are sorted, separated from the stalk and placed in tightly closed, clean containers in a thin layer, first covered with a cloth napkin.
To freeze, the berries are lightly washed under running water and dried, then spread in a thin layer on a cutting board and placed in the freezer for a day. After which the berries are poured into containers or bags for storage. In this form, raspberries can be stored for up to six months.
Drying berries in a natural way in the oven or a dehydrator. Pour clean berries onto a baking sheet and leave them in the sun, turning them over periodically. As an alternative, use an oven preheated to 60°C.
Conclusion
Raspberry fruits contain many minerals and vitamins, and the drink made from the leaves contains a large amount of flavonoids and beneficial acids. Berries can be consumed fresh, dried or frozen. Juices and pulps from raspberry fruits are used in cosmetology for the preparation of masks, rinses, scrubs and wraps.
Fresh berries have the greatest benefits for women's health. They must be consumed regularly in an amount of 300-400 g. Berries are a strong allergen and a powerful diuretic. They contain a lot of acids, so they are not recommended for people with gastrointestinal ulcers, allergies and people with kidney pathologies.