Finnish%20berries%20for%20health%20Jukka-Pekka%20Suomela%20Food%20chemistry%20and%20Food%20development,%20Department%20of%20Biochemistry

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Finnish berries for healthJukka-Pekka
SuomelaFood chemistry and Food development,
Department of Biochemistry
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Wild berries in Finland

• Minimum yield is 100kg/person
• Highest yield from lingonberry, crowberry,
  bilberry
• About 20 different wild berries can be used in
  nutrition
• Only 10 of the total yield is picked

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Berries in Finland

• Wild berry consumption is 8 kg/person/year
• Highest commercial value lingonberry, bilberry,
  raspberry, cloudberry, cranberry, sea-buckthorn
  and crowberry
• Export products
• strengths pure nature, nutritional content,
  possible health effects
• Also currants (not grown wild) commercially
  important

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Berries in Finland
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Nutrients in berries

• Fibre
• promotes bowel function, prevents colon and
  rectum cancer, stabilizes postprandial blood
  glucose levels, increases satiety, helps in
  controlling cholesterol levels
• Vitamins C and E
• Phenolic compounds

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Fibre and vitamins in berries
http//www.arctic-flavours.fi/fi/arktisetaromit/m
arjat/ravintosisalto/ravintosisaltotaulukoita/ Sou
rce Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos 2011.
Fineli - Elintarvikkeiden koostumustietopankki.
www.fineli.fi
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Phenolics in berries

• Phenolics often possess antioxidative activity
• Compounds responsible for the color
• Compounds of the chemical defense system

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Phenolics in berries
http//www.arctic-flavours.fi/fi/arktisetaromit/m
arjat/ravintosisalto/ravintosisaltotaulukoita/ Läh
de Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos 2011.
Fineli - Elintarvikkeiden koostumustietopankki.
www.fineli.fi
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Antioxidants

• Fats, proteins etc. may undergo oxidation in
  biological systems
• Phenolics in berries are antioxidants are they
  active also in gastrointestinal tract or other
  parts in human body?

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Antioxidants

• Antioxidant may act as a pro-oxidant under
  certain unfavorable conditions
• Potential health effects of berries exerted also
  or even primarily via other mechanisms (e.g.
  cellular and genetic effects)
• For example, phenolics have been associated with
  the reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases and
  certain cancers

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Nutrients in berries

• Fats (sea-buckthorn!)
• Minerals

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Health effects

• Berries have been reported to balance
  postprandial blood sugar levels and insulin
  response
• e.g. sea-buckthorn, berry mixtures
• Effects of fibre and phenolic compounds
• Contribute to reduced risk of cardiovascular
  diesases and diabetes?

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Health effects

• Affect liver function?
• Elevated ALAT is an indicator of fatty liver
  disease and therefore, increased risk of diabetes

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Health effects

• Sea-buckthorn is implicated in the reduction of
  CRP value
• CRP is an indicator of inflammation
• Even a slight elevation in the CRP value seems to
  indicate an increased risk of cardiovascular
  diseases
• Sea-buckthorn oil may decrease the risk of blood
  clots and relieve dry eye symptoms
• Blackcurrant seed oil may protect from athopy in
  infants

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Health effects

• Cranberries may protect from urinary tract
  infections
• The evidence is not very strong
• Lingonberry could challenge the cranberry (also
  regarding other health promoting effects)?

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Health effects

• Blueberry improved vision?
• Very popular belief among the Japanese
• Still waiting for the strong evidence