CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 07/18/18

Georgia-grown berries are full of healthy antioxidants and immune-boosting phytochemicals

By Barbara Worley

Summer means bountiful baskets of blue and red berries in fields and home gardens. Blueberries and strawberries are synonymous with backyard barbecues, vacations and pick-your-own adventures. More importantly, their high level of cancer-fighting antioxidants makes them exceptionally healthy.

Antioxidants counteract the damage caused by free radicals, or molecules created by harmful environmental effects like smoking, sunlight and chemicals that damage healthy tissue cells. Antioxidants come in many different forms, like vitamins and phytochemicals, and are often found in fruits, vegetables and whole-grain products.

Phytochemicals, or substances found in plant foods, and a number of vitamins, such as vitamin C, act as antioxidants in the body. Consuming antioxidant-rich foods decreases free-radical damage and lowers your risk of developing certain types of cancers and heart disease.

There are hundreds of different phytochemicals. Different-colored fruits and vegetables contain different phytochemicals, the pigments that give flowers and foods their unique colors. By eating different-colored fruits and vegetables, you include a wide variety of healthy phytochemicals in your diet. They don’t contribute calories to your diet, but act as antioxidants in the body.

Phytochemicals make strawberries red and blueberries blue. Anthocyanins are found in purple, deep blue and reddish-purple foods, such as blueberries, blackberries, cherries, red grapes, cranberries, bilberries and strawberries.

Some vitamins are also antioxidants. Beta carotene (a form of vitamin A) and vitamins C and E act as antioxidants in the body. Strawberries have more vitamin C than most citrus fruits. Blueberries are also a great source of vitamin C and fiber. 

Originally called “star berries,” the bottom of the blueberry forms a perfect, five-pointed star. Harvest season for blueberries in Georgia runs from mid-April through July, and strawberry season is March through July. July is also National Blueberry Month. Blueberries are one of the few fruits native to North America, and Georgia ranks second in the nation in blueberry production. 

Whether you consume them in a parfait, smoothie or straight from the farm, enjoy blueberries and know that you are eating fresh, local, in-season fruit that improves your health.  

For more information from the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension on nutrition, health and food safety, visit www.extension.uga.edu/publications.

Authors:
Barbara Worley
Experts/Sources:
Barbara Worley
Phytochemicals, or substances found in plant foods, and a number of vitamins, such as vitamin C, act as antioxidants in the body. Phytochemicals make strawberries red and blueberries blue.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Download Image
HurricaneHeleneGreenhouseDamageCropped CAES News
UGA Extension supports resilience in Georgia farm communities after Hurricane Helene 12/19/24 Emily Cabrera
Hurricane Helene wrought sweeping devastation across Georgia’s agricultural sector in late September, leaving an indelible mark on both the land and the people who tend it, bringing focus to vulnerabilities in Georgia’s farming industry and the need for more robust safety nets. In addition to the physical destruction, the hurricane took an emotional toll on Georgia’s farmers. In response, UGA Extension has prioritized mental health support.
University of Georgia startup CytoNest Inc. released its first commercial product this year, a fiber scaffold that optimizes cell manufacturing and tissue engineering. (Photo by Lauren Corcino) CAES News
UGA again ranks No. 1 in new research-based products 11/04/24 Brandon Ward
The University of Georgia once again ranks No. 1 among U.S. universities for the number of commercial products to market based on its research, according to an annual survey conducted by AUTM. For nine straight years, UGA has placed in the top two and has never appeared out of the Top 5 in the 11 years the survey has been reported by AUTM. UGA industry partners and startups released a record 66 new products developed from the university’s research in fiscal year 2023, on which the AUTM report is based.
Combining data collection and analysis with plant pathology, precision agriculture and robotics, the UGA team will build a photographic library of the foliar symptoms caused by onion diseases and other physiological disorders, feed them into the AI software, and use machine learning to identify the diseases based on pattern and color recognition from the images. CAES News
UGA uses AI, robotics to improve Georgia’s Vidalia sweet onion crop 10/23/24 Jordan Powers
A multidisciplinary team of UGA researchers aims to enhance the competitiveness of Vidalia onion growers in Georgia by providing them with the ability to confidently detect onion diseases early, enabling them to make management decisions on their crop at a critical time. These abilities, researchers say, should result in increased yield and quality of marketable onions and an overall increase in efficiency and productivity.
Associate Professor Rhuanito Ferrarezi poses with a Gerber daisy grown by students in his 4050/6050 Greenhouse Management class in fall 2023. CAES News
Upcoming UGA plant sales bring color to fall 10/15/24 Maria M. Lameiras
Fall weather means fall gardening, and several groups at the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences will be offering the fruits of their labors at ornamental plant sales across campus this semester. On Friday, Oct. 18, the Trial Gardens at University of Georgia will hold its annual Fall Houseplant Sale, and on Wednesday, Nov. 20, greenhouse management students will offer their ornamental plant sale at the South Milledge Greenhouse Complex.
Although it may not fit the traditional image of a well-kept lawn, this landscape is the result of careful planning and a deep commitment to ecological stewardship. CAES News
Done with mowing? How to transform your lawn into a native, perennial landscape 09/12/24 Emily Cabrera
On a tour of her Blairsville, Georgia, home, Becky Griffin navigates a swaying maze of perennial grasses interspersed with pussy willows, switchgrass and boneset. Although it may not fit the traditional image of a well-kept lawn, this landscape is the result of careful planning and a deep commitment to ecological stewardship. As a native plant enthusiast and coordinator of the Great Southeast Pollinator Census, Griffin hand-selected each of these native plants for the countless ecological services they provide year-round.
Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium CAES News
Keep on the grass 08/29/24 Emily Cabrera, Scott Michaux
When the University of Georgia Bulldogs step between the hedges at Sanford Stadium, the grass on Dooley Field needs to look perfect. More importantly, though, it needs to help safeguard the health of athletes who compete on it. Gerald Henry plays a big role in the latter. The UGA Athletic Association’s endowed professor in environmental turfgrass leads a research team in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences committed to creating sports fields that look good and perform well to limit the occurrence of injuries.