This company was actually the one being pushed on The Dr. Oz Show around this time last year. On their bottles of black raspberry capsules, they used this image:

At some point down the road, they must have realized they were using a picture of blackberries.  Notice the shiny skin, large berry caplets, and most importantly, the plug where the berry was attached to the plant.  Well, they simply decided to just do a little creative editing, filled the plug in and called it good, as you can see here:

Here are some more examples of dietary supplement companies using blackberries on their label:

Now it’s not like blackberries aren’t healthy in their own right, but they most certainly are not black raspberries.

The real question is, after reading our last article on the difference between blackberries and black raspberries, can you tell the difference?  Try searching around on google for images black raspberry products and see if you can spot the mistakes.  Believe us, there are plenty more out there!

We have talked to many companies and nutritionists that believe that these two very different berries are one and the same.  Nobody is at fault here, it’s just that the black raspberry hasn’t had much of a chance to speak up for itself on the big stage yet.  Luckily for the black raspberry, we will gladly take the microphone and by the time you are finished reading this, telling the difference between these two berries will be as easy as looking at them.

Check out this comparison graph that uses ORAC (a way of measuring antioxidant capacity) of different caneberries from Oregon State University Food Science:

Quick checklist:

• Is it hollow?
• Is it about the size of your thumbnail?
• Is it make up of small fruit cells?

If you answered yes to those three questions, you probably have found the rare black raspberry!  If not, you still have a tasty berry, but it is most likely a blackberry.

We’ve spent a lot of time figuring out what research articles really mean.  Sometimes words that are common in the world of science are like a foreign language to us.  With that, we want to start helping others understand all this great research too.  Firstly, we have started our own glossary, defined by our staff, that will help make sense out of some of the words you will see in papers and on this blog.  Secondly, we have started a new series of posts where we take an in-depth look at research and help translate it.

Today we wanted to share a paper published in August 2012 about a study that used freeze-dried black raspberry powder to investigate the cancer-fighting benefits of anthocyanins. Let’s take some time to understand what some of the key phrases and concepts actually mean, and hopefully things will make a little more sense.

Title: Plasma cytokines as potential response indicators to dietary freeze-dried black raspberries in colorectal cancer patients.

Abstract link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22823889#

The main focus of this study was actually on black raspberry powder’s effects on key biomarkers that indicate cancer growth inhibition.  The biomarker being measured, in this case, are some specific cytokines that play key roles in numerous cell activities. What scientists were trying to figure out is an easy metric (biomarker) for measuring the efficacy of any particular treatment on tissue affected by cancer. Luckily for us the scientists provided some great data on black raspberries too!

Starting off, scientists wanted to define what anti-cancer variables they wanted to measure during the study.  The list given in the paper goes something like this:

1. Apoptosis (programmed cell death)
2. Cell proliferation (how much cells split and multiply)
3. Angiogenesis (The formation of new blood vessels)

For this experiment, they compared normal tissue to samples of adenocarcinoma in colon cancer from each patient.  The desired result would be for the cancerous tissue to have more cell death, less cell growth, and less blood vessel growth compared to the normal tissue.  This would be an indication that the compounds in black raspberries were killing off and/or inhibiting the growth of cancerous tissue.

This is where black raspberries come in.  Scientists mixed twenty grams of freeze-dried black raspberry powder with water to create a slurry, and had patients consume this thick drink three times a day for up to nine weeks.  This is what gets everyone at Black Raspberry Buzz excited, because there was very distinct trend of beneficial effects on the cancerous tissue.

To get good biomarker data, researchers needed to pick a safe, but effective way to improve the health of tissue affected by cancer. It is very telling that black raspberry powder was chosen to accomplish this.

So what’s with those plasma cytokines mentioned in the title?  Well, measuring substances in plasma is much easier and much less invasive than trying to get tissue samples all the time, especially with a disease like colorectal cancer.  The scientists came to the conclusion that the levels of plasma cytokines do correlate with how successful the treatment is at managing the three key anti-cancer variables focused on in the study.

In a study published by researchers at Ohio State University in 2011, a black raspberry extract was applied to cervical cancer cells to see how much the extract inhibited cancer cell growth over certain time periods. The results showed that across the three different cancer cell types, black raspberry significantly inhibited growth by more than half and, in one cell type, growth was inhibited by as much as 67%.

Researchers also noted that apoptosis—a type of “programmed cell death”—was observed in all three cell types.  Apoptosis acts as a sort of biological “fail-safe” mechanism. When cells are damaged or old, the processes of apoptosis cause them to die on their own. Cancer cells override the signal to undergo apoptosis, enabling them to survive.

The authors of this study concluded that black raspberry extract not only inhibited the growth of new cancer cells, they also caused some cancer cells to die by undergoing apoptosis, making them promising candidates in the area of cancer prevention and treatment.

Of course, we have to take into account that normally you cannot simply apply black raspberry extract (or powder) to cancerous or precancerous cells. However, for cancers of the mouth and throat, a black raspberry extract might be very beneficial since it is possible to spread out doses throughout the day and keep affected cells in direct contact with the black raspberry compounds for longer.

If you are looking for an in-depth look at the study, check out this great blog post by Promega.

When searching for a black raspberry extract, it is important to find one that contains all the different compounds in the black raspberries. Research has shown that any time a single, isolated component of black raspberry extract has been tested, it has not performed as well as the whole complex mixture of all the different components working together. This is why some companies, like BerriHealth, are focused on providing the nutrients of the whole berry in different ways, from the extract to the powder to whole freeze-dried berries.

Next week we will take an in-depth look at black raspberry extracts, why some are better than others, and what the differences are between black raspberry extracts and black raspberry powder.

For those that are consuming large amounts of black raspberry powder, Lucy Wiley has put together a great video on making a drink using the powder and water. There are also tips on how to add turmeric and nutmeg.

About Lucy:

Lucy Wiley, of Lucysnoidblog, was diagnosed with carcinoid cancer in 2006. Her blog, covers everything from how to mix black raspberry powder (used by many patients to help with carcinoid syndrome symptoms), to yoga and light exercise.  We recommend Lucy’s blog for an extraordinary amount of practical and varied information for carcinoid cancer survivors.

So what is angiogenesis?

According to the Mirriam-Webster dictionary angiogenesis is simply:

“the formation and differentiation of blood vessels.”

A very simplistic definition, certainly,  but how it relates to cancer is a little bit more complex.  Normal angiogenesis helps keep you healthy.  It allows your body to build blood vessels for nutrients to travel to new tissue, and can also aid in repairing damaged tissue and helping heal from wounds.  Unfortunately angiogenesis creates those same nutrient pathways toward cancerous tumors, helping them grow.  When fighting cancer, angiogenesis is not a good thing.

With that, we highly recommend watching Dr. Li’s talk on the subject of anti-angiogenic foods and how they can help “starve” cancerous tumors.  It is very informative and one of our favorite videos on the subject:

Where do black raspberries fit in?

As it turns out, black raspberries are a very powerful anti-angiogenic food. And while certainly more studies need to be done in this area, this is yet another mechanism that black raspberries happen to excel in that can potentially aid in battling cancer.

Myth #1: 

The nutritional serving size for freeze-dried black raspberries is 600 milligrams per day, or two capsules, which is “equal to 4 cups of black raspberries.”

Unfortunately, the guest Dr. Lindsey Duncan, a naturopathic doctor and media personality on The Dr. Oz Showmade this claim.  Depending on the size of the berries, around 80 black raspberries can fit into one cup, so according to Dr. Duncan there are over 320 black raspberries in just 600 milligrams of freeze-dried black raspberry powder.  Black raspberries can weigh between 1-2 grams and contain 80-90% water (which is the only thing freeze-drying should remove).  Usually one berry is equal to 200 mg of freeze-dried berry powder after all is said and done.

The truth is…

Simply put, you are eating around 3 black raspberries each time you take two of those capsules. It would take 106 days to get the 4 cups of black raspberries from capsules as recommended by Dr. Duncan on the Dr. Oz show. Here is just one more example of how incorrect this statement is: In 4 cups of black raspberries, there would be around 24 grams, or 24,000 mg of healthy fiber alone. Is there any way that can fit into a couple of 300 milligram pills?  No. If you still don’t believe it, try the math yourself with this handy calculator.

Click on the image below to watch the 3-minute segment from the Dr. Oz show.

According to USDA Guidelines, 1/2 cup of black raspberries is a nutritional serving.

Recently, some manufacturers started using 400 milligrams of black raspberry powder in their capsules, but as the chart illustrates below, it doesn’t change the facts. It only adds half a berry to each capsule!

This means for minimum nutritional benefit: Two servings of black raspberries =  1 cup = 80 black raspberries = 40 x 400mg capsules! Not two capsules. You would have to take almost one entire bottle to get a single serving of fruit.

Myth #2:

Capsules are the most effective way to get the nutritional benefits of black raspberries.

Dr. Gary Stoner, one of the leading researchers in black raspberries, states in this important video that black raspberry powder has the greatest effectiveness when coming in direct contact with affected areas. The black raspberry powder in a capsule is enclosed and therefore completely bypasses the oral cavity, mouth, throat, and esophagus.  This significantly limits the effectiveness of black raspberries in those areas. Capsules do not allow the beneficial phytonutrients in the black raspberry to come into direct contact with the mouth, esophagus, and stomach cells, so for individuals with complications in those areas, capsules will not be effective.

Instead, black raspberry extract is one of the most effective ways to consume black raspberries: a valid nutritional amount in a delicious bioavailable liquid that comes in direct contact with these areas of the body. A second effective way to take black raspberries is in freeze-dried powder form, mixed with juice or water, and provides beneficial fiber to boot.

Myth #3:

Capsules are simpler and the least expensive form to take the required daily amount.

Not true. Putting minuscule amounts of black raspberries in a capsule not only makes it more difficult to get even one serving, but it just doesn’t make sense. Would you rather swallow 20+ capsules a day than mix in a couple tasty teaspoons of  berry extract into a smoothie or sprinkle black raspberry powder on your cereal?  Furthermore, it’s 25% – 75% more expensive to take black raspberries in capsule form. See chart above.

Supporting Research

While the small dosages found in capsules certainly won’t do any harm, there is currently no published research that supports the claim that black raspberries are effective in such small quantities.

Links to Recent News and Research

The Solution

High-quality companies like BerriHealth and Stokes Berry Farm have been both growing and supplying freeze-dried black raspberry powder for clinical trials and have made the same powder available to consumers.  BerriHealth also has worked to stringently test and develop extract that contains the wide spectrum of beneficial phytonutrients found in black raspberries in an effective and easy-to-consume form.

What are your thoughts? Please share with us!

Gary Stoner, PhD, Director of the Mollecular (Molecular) Carcinogenesis and Chemoprevention Program at the Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center, discusses his research in cancer prevention and the ability of ellagic acid found in berries to protect against cancer.

Black Raspberries in Clinical Trials

Black raspberries are one of the few fruits that have been used in human clinical trials.  These trials generally focus cancerous tumor regression due to direct exposure to the compounds found in black raspberries. The high levels of anthocyanins are important on a nutritional level, but they also give the black raspberry its incredibly dark appearance.  The color of black raspberries is so intense that the USDA actually used it to stamp meat.

The black raspberry only enjoys fame in the Northwest United States and in research laboratories across the country.  Many people, and even companies, get this rare berry confused with the similarly named but far more common blackberry (we will touch on the differences in our next installment).

Black Raspberry Facts

• Nicknames: Blackcap, king of berries
  
• Weight: 1-2 grams (it’s a very small berry)
• Color: ranges from a dark purple/red to almost black
• Location: Almost exclusively grown in Oregon.  Can also be found in small quantities in states like Ohio, and in a few other countries like the United Kingdom and Korea.
• Peak Performance: Black raspberries are usually harvested during a three week window in July.
• Strengths: One of the most researched fruits in the world.  High in anthocyanins and polyphenols.  High in fiber and relatively low in sugar. Pretty dang healthy to eat.
• Weaknesses: Hard and expensive to grow. Low yields. Hard to find in stores. Have a good amount of seeds.
• Found in: Frozen fruit sections, freeze-dried powders and whole berries, extracts, ice cream, tea.

Of course a lot of these characteristics can change quite a lot depending quite a few variables, so with that:

Black Raspberry Variations

When you purchase fruit from the produce section of your grocery store or local farmer’s market, you know that not all fruit is the same. For example, there are many different types of apples, and even within those specific genotypes there can be variation in quality in taste by geographic location and even by farm.  The same thing applies to black raspberries!  There are three major varieties of black raspberries.  Wikipedia being the great source that it is has some basic information on all three:

• Rubus leucodermis (Native to the western North America)
• Rubus occidentalis (Native to the eastern North America)
• Rubus coreanus (Native to Korea, Japan, and China)

Over 90% of the total black raspberry production in the United States is in Oregon. Because the berries are so hard to grow, only a few places in the world produce these healthy berries.  Strangely enough, Rubus occidentalis, and specifically the Munger variety, is the type of black raspberry that is grown and harvested commercially in Oregon despite being on the west coast.  There are well over 20 other varieties of black raspberries being grown today.  They all vary in size and also express different levels of anthocyanins as well.

While we will jump into what to look at when buying black raspberries in more detail at a later date, keep in mind that how they are grown and how they are handled and processed after being harvested as just as important as the berries themselves.  The last two articles in the research section below will give you an idea of how much black raspberries can vary based on how and where they are grown, and how the nutrient levels in final products can be affected by how the black raspberries are treated after leaving the vine.

As you can see, there is quite a lot of information out there on black raspberries, and this is just the tip of the iceberg.  We will continue to try and put out information we feel is helpful, but please let us know if there is a topic you would like to know about!

Research Articles of Interest

1. Anthocyanins and their role in cancer prevention.
2. Effect of black raspberry ( Rubus occidentalis L.) extract variation conditioned by cultivar, production site, and fruit maturity stage on colon cancer cell proliferation.
3. Processing and storage effects on monomeric anthocyanins, percent polymeric color, and antioxidant capacity of processed black raspberry products.
4. Antioxidant activity and phenolic content of Oregon caneberries