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

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

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

Berries in Finland Lingonberry Cloudberry Blueberry Bilberry Blackcurrant Sea buckthorn

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

Fibre and vitamins in berries Source: Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos Fineli - Elintarvikkeiden koostumustietopankki.

Phenolics in berries  Phenolics often possess antioxidative activity  Compounds responsible for the color  Compounds of the chemical defense system

Lähde: Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos Fineli - Elintarvikkeiden koostumustietopankki. Phenolics in berries

”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?

”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

 Fats (sea-buckthorn!)  Minerals Nutrients in berries

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?

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

Health effects  Blueberry – improved vision?  Very popular belief among the Japanese  Still waiting for the strong evidence