Dive Brief:
- New research provides evidence that regular consumption of boysenberries could improve the lung function of asthma suffers, according to Food Bev.
- Scientists at Plant & Food Research and the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research found that boysenberries could help reduce scar tissue deposits on the lungs by activating immune cell types that assist with tissue repair and retaining normal lung function.
- Researchers had already found that fruits with high levels of antioxidant compounds known as polyphenols improve lung function, and this research was to delve further into those findings.
Dive Insight:
This research puts boysenberries in the same category as blueberries, cranberries, strawberries and raspberries, which are often promoted as health-boosting ingredients.
Boysenberries are a cross between blackberry, dewberry, raspberry and loganberry. They were made famous in the 1920s by Walter Knott, of southern California's Knott's Berry Farm, who cultivated them. The berries tend to be delicate, so they are not shipped or stored for long periods of time. They are primarily sold at West Coast farmer's markets, or processed as preserves, syrups or flavorings.
These findings could help give boysenberry a boost for future products. Consumers are looking for more health benefits in their food, with the market for snacks classified as healthy growing faster than the food and beverage market as a whole.
While there is no magic ingredient to alleviate asthma symptoms, other foods can provide the antioxidants needed to assist in cell repair to benefit the lungs. This includes nuts, grapes, applies and other fruits, which have high amounts of vitamins C & E, flavonoids, beta-carotenes and other minerals.