Potential Health Benefits of Juice Berries, Blackberry (Rubus sp.), uvaia (Eugenia pyriformis Camb), araza (Psidium cattleyanum Sabine)

Abstract

Small berries are some of the most popular fruits consumed worldwide, especially after news reports about the benefits they provide to the human health due to the presence of high content of chemical compounds with antioxidant capacity. One the most frequent and widely available include blueberry (Vaccinium sp.) and strawberry (Fragaria sp.), while other berries such as blackberry (Rubus sp.) may be only available in fresh form on a seasonal basis. Recent publicity of research works has increased consumer demand for exotic berries which have been, popular both as a sweet food and for their potential in the nutraceutical and functional food markets. These include the Brazilian strawberry guava (Psidium cattleyanum Sabine) and uvalha (Eugenia pyriformis Camb) both species pertaining to the Myrtaceae family. These fruits, with their proper flavors and aromas, present potential for the consumption both, in nature and for industrial use. The intake of berry products has been world widely encouraged because of their possible health benefits. Fruit juice is one of the processed products of berries. Besides being an excellent source of natural antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, berries are rich in secondary metabolites, conferring to the juice an attractive color, smell and flavor. This review highlights the evidence for the actions of bioactive constituents, found most commonly in berry juice, such as blackberries, strawberry guava and uvalha, on their potential impact on health and prevention of diseases.