You have a better chance of finding boysenberry products or frozen boysenberries than fresh berries because they're highly perishable. But the frozen berries retain plenty of fiber, nutrients and antioxidants that help keep your heart healthy. One cup of frozen boysenberries supplies at least 5 percent of your recommended daily allowance of magnesium, iron and vitamins C, E and K.
Rudolph Boysen created his namesake -- the boysenberry -- by crossing a raspberry, blackberry and loganberry. The resulting dark-purple berry has one large seed, is larger than a blackberry and has a flavor that combines the sweetness of raspberries with the tartness of blackberries. Fresh boysenberries decay quickly, so store them in the refrigerator and use them within 2 to 3 days. One cup of frozen, unsweetened boysenberries has 66 calories, 16 grams of carbohydrates and 1.5 grams of protein.
Boysenberries contain two different types of fiber, soluble and insoluble. Insoluble fiber is the kind that adds bulk to stool, which keeps digestive waste moving through your system. In addition to preventing constipation, this type of fiber also reduces your risk of developing some gastrointestinal problems, such as diverticulitis. Soluble fiber lowers your cholesterol by binding to it and carrying it out of your body in waste. It also slows down the absorption of carbohydrates, which prevents unhealthy spikes in blood sugar. One cup of frozen, unsweetened boysenberries has 7 grams of fiber, which is 18 percent of men’s and 28 percent of women’s recommended daily allowances of fiber.
Folate binds with enzymes, which activates them to do their jobs. In this role, folate is essential for the metabolism of amino acids and the formation of DNA. It’s so vital for the growth of new cells that women who are pregnant, or may become pregnant, need a sufficient amount to prevent birth defects that occur in the first few weeks after conception. Folate may contribute to a healthy heart by lowering levels of homocysteine in your blood; high amounts of homocysteine increase your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. You’ll get 83 micrograms, or 20 percent of your daily allowance, from 1 cup of frozen boysenberries.
In addition to two antioxidant nutrients -- vitamins C and E -- boysenberries contain two plant-based antioxidants: ellagic acid and the flavonoid, anthocyanin. Vitamins C and E prevent inflammation and lower your risk of chronic diseases, such as arthritis and cardiovascular disease, by neutralizing free radicals before they harm healthy tissues. Ellagic acid and anthocyanins also fight inflammation, and they may prevent cancer by slowing the growth of cancerous cells, but more studies are needed to support this role. Research also suggests that anthocyanins may keep blood vessels healthy by protecting them from free radical damage.
Substitute boysenberries in any recipe that calls for blackberries or blueberries. Begin your day with a banana and boysenberry smoothie. Make a main dish of brown rice, leftover chicken, sliced celery and boysenberries. Mix spinach or other salad greens with boysenberries, walnuts and vinaigrette flavored with orange juice. Mix boysenberries with blueberries and dried apricots and top them with vanilla yogurt.
- USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory: Boysenberries, Frozen, Unsweetened
- Institute of Medicine: Dietary Reference Intakes
- Harvard School of Public Health: Fiber: Start Roughing It!
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Folate
- Harvard School of Public Health: Three of the B Vitamins: Folate, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin B12
- Oregon State University: Berry Health Benefits Network: Blackberry
- American Cancer Society: Ellagic Acid
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center: Anthocyanins
- Food Encyclopedia: Boysenberry
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