Raspberries contain significant amounts of antioxidants linked to potential health protection against several human diseases. An interesting fact to note about raspberries is that it has a high proportion of dietary fiber per total body weight, up to 20%, placing it among plant foods with the highest fiber contents known.

Raspberries are a rich source of vitamin C, with 30 mg per serving of 1 cup (about 50% daily value), manganese (about 60% daily value) and dietary fiber (30% daily value). Contents of B vitamins 1-3, folic acid, magnesium, copper and iron are also considerable in raspberries.

Raspberries rank near the top of all fruits for antioxidant strength, particularly due to their dense contents of ellagic acid (from ellagotannins), quercetin, gallic acid, anthocyanins, cyanidins, pelargonidins, catechins, kaempferol and salicylic acid.

Due to their rich contents of antioxidant and vitamin C, raspberries have an ORAC value of about 4900 per 100 grams, including them among the top-ranked ORAC fruits. Cranberries and wild blueberries have around 9000 ORAC units and apples average 2800.

Although there are no clinical studies to date proving the medicinal benefits of raspberries, preliminary medical research shows a likely benefit of regularly consuming raspberries against:

• inflammation
• pain
• cancer
• cardiovascular disease
• diabetes
• allergies
• age-related cognitive decline
• degeneration of eyesight with aging