Blackberries Nutritional Profile

Energy value (calories per serving): Low

Protein: Low

Fat: Low

Saturated fat: Low

Cholesterol: None

Carbohydrates: High

Fiber: Moderate

Sodium: Low

Major vitamin contribution: Vitamin A, vitamin C Major mineral contribution: Calcium

About the Nutrients in Blackberries

Blackberries have no starch but do contain sugars and dietary fiber, primarily pectin, which dissolves as the fruit matures. Unripe blackberries contain more pectin than ripe ones.

One-half cup fresh blackberries has 1.5 g dietary fiber and 15 mg vitamin C (25 percent of the RDA).

The Most Nutritious Way to Serve Blackberries

Fresh or lightly cooked.

Buying Blackberries

Look for: Plump, firm dark berries with no hulls. A firm, well-rounded berry is still moist and fresh; older berries lose moisture, which is why their skin wrinkles.

Avoid: Baskets of berries with juice stains or liquid leaking out of the berries. The stains and leaks are signs that there are crushed—and possibly moldy—berries inside.

Storing Blackberries

Cover berries and refrigerate them. Then use them in a day or two.

Do not wash berries before storing. The moisture collects in spaces on the surface of the berries that may mold in the refrigerator. Also, handling the berries may damage their cells, releasing enzymes that can destroy vitamins.