We have all heard about the next superfood or super vitamin that has unique properties for your health. These days it is not uncommon to learn about a new fad involving a type of food boasting to improve your health.
When you hear about a berry that has antioxidants, helps lessen inflammation, and potentially has anti-cancer effects, your first reaction may be to dismiss it. What if there was some truth to these claims, a particular fruit that does improve your health?
Schisandra Berry
More commonly known as the 5-flavor fruit due to its combination of sweet, better, sour, salty, and savory tastes, this berry boasts a variety of health benefits. It is commonly found in Japan, Korea, Manchuria, North-Eastern China, and the easternmost parts of Russia [1].
It is used primarily in traditional Chinese medicine for its antioxidant and other traits, while in Russia, it’s used to help build a tolerance for diseases and stress. There are even some studies on its effects on Alzheimer’s.
Antioxidants and Compounds
Active compounds found within the Schisandra berry are high in antioxidants and have various effects ranging from helping your body suppress inflammation to helping protect your skin [1]. A study of antioxidant effects also found that under normal conditions, these compounds were beneficial to the stimulants for your immune system.
Then antioxidants found in the berry can also help lessen or even suppress inflammation, promote anti-cancer effects, and encourage the death of cancer cells [1].
Alzheimer’s
Studies are being conducted on how the Schisandra berry’s potent antioxidants can help those with Alzheimer’s disease. In a 2017 study, researchers found that Schisandrin B at high concentrations was able to inhibit a toxic neural peptide that contributes to Alzheimer’s[2]. With this ability, Schisandrin B was found tto affect the disease positively
The benefits of the Schisandra berry are still being studied, but so far, there are considerable benefits to adding it to your daily life. It can come in many forms; fruit, extracts, and compounds. It is continued to be used in traditional medicine in China today for its wide variety of benefits.
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References
[1] Kopustinskiene DM, Bernatoniene J. Antioxidant effects of Schisandra chinensis fruits and their active constituents. Antioxidants. 2021;10(4):1-11. doi:10.3390/antiox10040620
2. Zhang M, Zheng H-xia, Gao Y-yang, et al. The influence of schisandrin B on a model of alzheimer’s disease using β-amyloid protein AΒ1-42-mediated damage in SH-SY5Y neuronal cell line and underlying mechanisms. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A. 2017;80(22):1199-1205. doi:10.1080/15287394.2017.1367133
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